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NIGERIA MAY17 – May 23, 2021N200...first in breaking the news www.aljazirahnews.com Vol. 2 No. 183

Amaechi Vs NPA MD: When Allegations Turn Lame

The Federal Government under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari seems to be attuned to running unshod against itself in its unrestrained bid to swiftly build a reputation as living up to its much avowed

creed of fighting corruption ; one of the nucleus of his campaigns in both his terms in office.

The administration it would appear is littered with unending tales of fraud allegations by one member of the same government against another, which would however end up being truncated midway into the setting-up of investigations by panels to unravel

the mystery behind such dust raised by the ensuing furore.

The latest on the trajectory of these is the allegation of financial impropriety leveled against the Managing Director, (MD) and Chief Executive Officer, (CEO) of the Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA), Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman by the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, who as characteristic of the administration has made a U-turn amid the setting-up of a panel of enquiry to investigate the alleged

CONTINUE ON PAGE 5

EDITORIAL

PAGE 11Despite Deficit, Local Producers Export Electricity Metres

Buhari CriesPAGE 10

Food Importation Imminent As Farmers Stranded

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Stakeholders call for urgent actionJets off for another health checkAides say Nigeria not in too bad shape

Industries at risk of producing below capacity

FG’s Reasons For New COVID-19 Restrictions

UK £4.2m Repatriation: FG Begs Ibori To Withdraw Suit PAGE 7

Ndume Kicks As Southern Senators Hail Govs’ Ban On Open Grazing

Examining CBN’s Naira For Dollar Scheme

Nigeria/Cameroon Friendly: Rohr Invites Four Home-based Players

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South East: Latest Hotbed Of Discord

NNPC, DPR Faceoff Deepens Over Returned-Revoked Oilfields PAGE 2

NUBIFIE Suspends Banking Services In Kaduna

NUBIFIE Suspends Banking Services In Kaduna

Firm Drags FG To ICC Over Mambilla Project, Demands Compensation

BY SAMIALA ISHAKU

Following the recent mass sack of civil servants in Kaduna State by the government under the leadership of Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees, NUBIFIE, has in solidarity with the sacked workers will withdraw indefinitely banking services in the state with effect from May 16 midnight.

In a letter dated May 14, titled: NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL OF BANKING SERVICES IN KADUNA STATE and addressed to the Managing Director of Ecobank, NUBIFIE noted that it was acting in the spirit of solidarity with the workers who are suffering from the state government’s ‘ h i g h - h a n d e d n e s s ’ which borders on “dehumanizing workers through scapegoating and arbitrary layoffs”.

NUBIFIE in the letter signed by its President, Comrade Abakpa Anthony and General Secretary, Comrade Muhammed I. Sheikh urged all sectoral unions within its fold to

comply with the directive strictly except a counter one was issued.

NUBIFIE further warned that: “It would

therefore be in your bank’s self-informed interest to advise your various branches not to attempt to sabotage the Congress

BY CYRIL OGAR

The completion of Nigeria’s multibillion naira Mambilla Hydro Project could hit the rocks after a Nigerian com-pany that lost out in the con-tract bid filed a $400 million lawsuit against the Federal Government.

The lawsuit filed by Nige-rian-owned Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited (SPTCL) at the Inter-national Chamber of Com-merce (ICC) in Paris, France, requested the court to order President Muhammadu Bu-hari’s administration to hon-our its March 2020 agree-ment.

The company’s request for an award of $400 mil-lion with an interest of 10 per cent was initiated under the ICC’s expedited proce-dure rules, as specified in the agreements, and should be decided within six months.

The SPTCL claimed it was awarded the contract to build and operate the 3,050-mega-watt hydropower facility in 2003, which was followed

directives as that would incur the wrath of Nigerian workers against your bank. Monitoring teams have been formed to

by the signing of a General Project Execution Agreement (GPEA) with the government in November 2012.

The project was scaled to a 1,525-megawatt hydropower facility at $4 billion, but SPT-CL was sidelined in the proj-ect by the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.

Former Minister of Pow-er Babatunde Fashola had granted the same contract in 2017 to three Chinese com-panies, Sinohhydro Corpo-ration of China, China Ghe-zouba Group Corporation of China and China Geo-Engi-neering Group Corporation, to form a joint venture for the execution of the project.

The China Exim Bank was expected to provide 85 per cent of the joint funding with the Federal Government for the Mambilla project, but the bank insisted it would not release the money until the legal standoff ended.

This prompted SPTCL to start court proceedings against Nigeria’s government at the ICC, demanding be-tween $960 million and $2.4

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Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo State (5th right); Deputy Governor, Prof. Placid Njoku (6th left); Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, Imo State, Rev. Eches Divine Eches (4th right); Imo State Chief Imam, Suleiman Njoku (5th left); Sariki Imo, Auwal Baba Suleiman (2nd left) and other dignitaries, during the Governor’s celebration of Eid-el-Fitr with Muslims Community in Owerri on Thursday, May 13. PHOTO: JAU/NAN.

billion in damages.A settlement agreement

was reached with SPTCL last year where $200 million was promised, in return for it dropping all claims relating to Mambilla.

It was also agreed that the Lagos-based firm would be entitled to an additional $200 million-plus inter-est if the government failed to transfer the agreed sum within 180 days.

President Buhari decid-ed that his administration couldn’t pay the settlement sum, according to a memo-randum in August 2020, be-cause low oil prices were hit-ting the economy due to the outset of the coronavirus.

Initially, the project was conceived in 1982 as a 3,050-megawatt plant on the Donga River, Taraba State to cost $5.8 billion, but it got off to multiple false starts.

When completed, the Mam-billa project will increase the installed electricity-generat-ing capacity of the country by 12 per cent.

However, findings by Al-jazirahNigeria show that SPTCL is co-owned by Lai-tan Adesanya, who also doubles as chief executive officer of Lenoil Nigeria Limited, and his wife Ibi-ronke Adesanya, based on a Corporate Affairs Com-mission (CAC) company search.

In 2016, Adesanya was ar-rested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commis-sion (EFCC) for his alleged role in the disbursement of $115 million (N23bn) funds allegedly used to bribe some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commis-sion (INEC) before the 2015 presidential election.

Adesanya was alleged to have handed $1.85 million to Fidelity Bank based on the instruction of a former Min-ister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

ensure strict compliance and enforcement of the action”.

NUBIFIE noted that it was working in tandem

with the National Executive Council, NEC, of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC of which it is an affiliate.

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The Nigerian Army has confirmed that some persons suspected to be members of the Boko Haram terrorist group have been arrested in Kano State.

Former Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha has said that more than 75 percent of Nigerians are happy with the Muhammadu Buhari-led government.

The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom has accused opposers of the Southern Governors’ decision to ban open grazing of cattle of having a hidden agenda.

The presidency has confirmed the attack on the residence of the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Professor Ibrahim Gambari.

Borno South Senator, Ali Ndume has disagreed with the position of Southern Governors who announced a ban on open grazing in the southern region of Nigeria.

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has backed the resolution of the 17 Southern Governors calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to review federal appointments.

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Insecurity: Calls For Buhari’s Resignation,State Of Emergency Heightens

PAGE 21

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NDIC, CIBN Partner To Improve Professionalism In Banking Sector

PAGE 15

Army Confirms Arrest Of Boko Haram Terrorists In Kano

Most Nigerians Are Not Happy With Buhari Govt – Okorocha

Opposers Of Ban On Open Grazing Have Hidden Agenda – Ortom

Presidency Reacts To News Of Armed Robbers Attack On Aso Rock

Southern Governors Deviating From The Main Issue With Ban On Open Grazing – Ndume Declares

Southern Govs: Buhari Not Fair With Political Appointments – Bala Moh’d

Monday, May 10, 2021

Wednesday, May 12, 2021

Friday, May 14, 2021

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Saturday, May 15, 2021

“Children performing ablution ahead of the Eid-el-Fitri prayer at Amao praying ground, Agege, in

Lagos, on Thursday, 15.

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editorial

shortfall in the operating surpluses by the NPA under the leadership of the suspended MD/CEO, who will now be probed for insubordination as against the earlier allegation of not remitting operating surpluses of N165 billion to the consolidated revenue fund account.

AljazirahNigeria is deeply concerned that an administration which has much touted the idea of fighting corruption, while making it a center piece of its focus would continue to get embroiled in the same menace which it and indeed anyone else in Nigeria and around the world have come to identify as the singular bane linked to the underdevelopment of the country, with its attendant evil and consequences across board.

It is regrettable that there has been several of such cases of in the lifespan of this administration such as the famous case of the grass cutting contract scam by the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF) the alleged contract scam to the tune of $25bn at the NNPC under its former Group Managing Director, which a former Minister of State for Petroleum, made public in his open letter to President Buhari, the aborted N25bn EFCC corruption case against a former governor of Gombe state, which was allegedly traded for President of the Senate ambition to pave way for the anointed candidate of the APC, among several other such matters bordering on corruption which full investigation were never allowed to see the light of day.

Similarly and unfortunately too, several ex-governors, who had corruption cases with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prior to the advent of the Buhari

administration, seems to have been forgotten by a government that was angled to clean up the Augean stable.

AljazirahNigeria strongly urges the Federal Government to get its acts together by doing due diligence in its corruption fighting procedure and mechanism as the public perception of the administration is one riddled with a lot of cover up of its members due to political connections within the system which ensures that individuals who have fleeced on the common patrimony are easily let off the hook even when such corruption cases had been made public and their investigations kick started. It would appear perhaps that only those within the political nexus, who are without such political linkages, are eventually punished for the financial offences which they have committed against the state.

There was a report widely captured in the media then, when ex-chairman of the APC, Mr Adams Oshiomhole was quoted as saying; “Join the APC and your sins are forgiven”, an inclination of compromise has been suggested and it smacks of corruption.

AljazirahNigeria is averse to selective justice when it comes to the issue of corruption or any other matter, as all who are deemed to have run afoul of the law should be brought to book without let or hindrance.

We are totally in contention over any attempt to trivialize monumental allegations on corruption after they have been made public. Such, must be allowed to run their full course in the eye of the law to engender confidence in the public space that the anti-corruption stance of the government is not just mere grandstanding.

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WhoSAIDWhat?IN THE NEWS

“Let me repeat categorically what I have said before. I WILL NOT BE LINKING MY NIN to my phone number! I will rather not have a phone line than willingly give my information and have it in the control of a terrorist sympathizer and his cohorts”

Aisha Yusufu: A Nigerian Social And Political Activist.

FROM COVER

Amaechi Vs NPA MD: When Allegations Turn Lame

BY YAHAYA UMAR

The United States has ex-pressed dissatisfaction at how Nigerian courts con-tinue to convict citizens of blasphemy, sentence them to long-term imprisonment and death.

US Secretary of State, Ant-ony Blinken, stated this dur-ing the release of the 2020 International Religious Free-dom Report this week.

He also said the Nigerian government has not brought anyone to justice for the “massacre” of members of the Islamic Movement in Ni-geria also known as Shiites.

“In Nigeria, courts contin-ue to convict people of blas-phemy, sentencing them to long-term imprisonment or even death. Yet the govern-ment has still not brought anyone to justice for the mil-itary’s massacre of hundreds of Shia Muslims in 2015”, Blinken quoted the report.

He further stressed that religious freedom is a hu-man right and the freedom is enshrined in the Univer-sal Declaration of Human Rights, adding that Amer-ica will continue to defend freedom of faith globally.

“Religious freedom, like every human right, is uni-versal. All people, every-where, are entitled to it no matter where they live, what they believe, or what they don’t believe.

“Religious freedom can’t be fully realised unless oth-er human rights are respect-ed, and when governments violate their people’s right to believe and worship free-ly, it jeopardizes all the oth-ers,” the US State Secretary noted.

For instance, the Shi-ites have for over five years been regularly taking to the streets particularly in Abu-ja to demand the release of their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, and his wife, Zeenat.

The couple has been in the custody of government’s se-curity agents since Decem-ber 2015 after a bloody clash between members of the group and soldiers in the convoy of the former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tu-kur Buratai, in Zaria, Kadu-na State.

Many Shiites members were reportedly killed by soldiers but the Nigerian Army has since denied such allegations.

Us Kicks Against Death Sentence Over Blasphemy

BY HENRY IBYA, MAKURDI

Benue State Governor Sam-uel Ortom, has called on the Federal Government to ini-tiate a National dialogue for stakeholders in the Nigeri-an project to rob minds to-wards a lasting solution to the alarming and deterio-rating security challenges and other agitations from different parts of the coun-try.

The governor who was speaking at the presenta-tion of a journal on media education and democracy as part of activities to mark this year’s world communi-cation day celebration held at the holy ghost church in Makurdi, also emphasized the urgent need for the Fed-eral Government to do ev-erything possible to tackle insecurity most especially attacks on innocent farm-ers by herdsmen to restore confidence in Nigerians.

According to the gover-nor, one of the major solu-tions to the crises should be to adopt ranching which is the best global practice for animal husbandry as farm-ers will no longer have is-sues with herders on ac-count of crop destruction for peace to reign.

The governor insist-ed that his administration would continue to enforce the open grazing and ranch-es establishment law which according to him it’s bene-fits to farmers who form the majority population in the state has not been contra-dicted by any superior ar-gument or solution from no quarters.

Governor Ortom who lamented that indigenous languages were nearly going into extinction directed the Benue State Ministry of Ed-ucation to commence with immediate effect the teach-ing of indigenous languag-es and history in all schools across the state to prepare the younger ones to be conversant with the histo-ry and culture of their peo-ple in the face of challenges.

He equally expressed ap-preciation to Benue people particularly the church for standing with his adminis-tration to stop enemies of the state from taking over their ancestral homes as-suring that the Government will continue to do it’s best in protecting lives and prop-erty of the people.

Insecurity: Ortom Urge’s FG To Initiate National Dialogue

BY JOSHUA JOSEPH

A member of the Senate, representing Osun East Senatorial District, Senator Francis Fadahunsi, has alleged rampant fraudulent activities within the Nigerian armed forces and some paramilitary agencies, noting that the nation would not overcome insecurity if left unchecked.

The senator said the arms and ammunition being snatched from Nigerian soldiers by insurgents and the neglect of the defence industry, which is responsible for manufacturing war armaments, should be investigated.

Fadahunsi claimed that the military service chiefs prefer the importation of arms because of what they stand to gain from the exchange rates to the detriment of local manufacturing of guns and other weapons.

Speaking in Osogbo, Fadahunsi, who is a retired

Assistant Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), lamented that the Federal Government appears not ready to probe the military.

He said the nation needed nothing less than one million soldiers and one million policemen to be able to ensure effective security, alleging that the war against insecurity was suffering setbacks because of fraud in the armed forces.

The lawmaker flayed President Muhammadu Buhari’s Eid-el-Fitri remarks on security, adding: “I was surprised when I listened to the President. It is either he was not properly briefed or something must be wrong with his state of mind. Those service chiefs that were deceiving him had gone and the new ones are here.

“The state of insecurity is more alarming than what we are thinking about. Our problem is that the military is highly funded by General Buhari but not highly equipped

and encouraged to fight. The military are not recruiting. Two hundred million people should have a military of not less than one million soldiers; then Police should not be less than one million if they really want to defend Nigeria. The intelligence unit should be working very well.

“Unfortunately, the Federal Government is not ready to probe the activities of the military and the arms and ammunition being snatched. Generally, since the civil war, the Nigerian government has not probed the military’s armoury and the agents of government that are handling these armouries.

“Nobody is smuggling arms and ammunition into the country again. What they are snatching from these boys (soldiers) is enough to kill people. And many boys are running away from the war front, from the services, not even military again and their guns are being dropped.

BY ISDOM ONYEISI

The Federal Government has written to Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, to prevail on the former Delta State Governor, Chief James Ibori to withdraw the suit he instituted against the United Kingdom on the confiscation and planned repatriation of about £4.2 million linked to him.

The Federal Government also said that the intervention of the UPU would create an enabling environment for the consideration of the appeal by the union that the alleged

UK £4.2m Repatriation: FG Begs Ibori To Withdraw Suitlooted asset should be used to implement projects in the state.

Recall that the UPU through its President General, Engineer Joseph Omene had on March 23, 2021, made a request that the confiscated assets linked to the former governor should be used for projects in Delta state against the position of the Federal Government that it would be used to fund critical projects across the country.

In a letter addressed to Engineer Omene, the Attorney General of the

Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, noted that the suit filed by Chief Ibori against the United Kingdom on the confiscated assets has become a stumbling block for repatriation.

The AGF letter with the title, “Re-Commendation for Retrieval of Delta’s Stolen Funds and request for Review of Projects to be executed with the Retrieved Funds”, was signed by Juliet Ibekaku-Nwagwu, the Special Assistant to the President on Justice Reform and International Relations.

The letter read, “I am

directed to inform (you) that the HAGF is in receipt of your letter dated 23rd March 2021 with regard to the above subject matter. The HAGF appreciates your concerns and welcomes the interest of UPU in the returned assets.

“The HAGF wishes to inform that he does not have the authority to approve projects for the application of returned assets. These decisions are taken at the Federal Executive Council after in-depth deliberations. The HAGF’s mandate is to implement the decisions of the council.

Today, Nigerian government cannot manufacture a single bullet of AK-47. In 1963/64, the defence industry of the military was created by the Nigerian government to manufacture war armaments, small lighter weapons and to supply to services like Customs and Immigration.

“China, India and Pakistan also created their own. Today, China is producing a watercraft; that is a war ship that can carry up to 20 fighter jets; America is the same thing. You know when America is ready to fight anybody; they will move the watercraft down to that place with their air striker jets. The same thing with Pakistan. What is Nigeria’s military defence industry doing? What we can produce is furniture. The military and service heads are only interested in procuring weapons abroad because of the exchange rate. Fraud is so rampant. I was in the service too, so I know what operates there.”

Nigerian Army Most Corrupt Agency, Sen. Fadahunsi Alleges



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President of the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA), Mrs Vickie Irabor (R), presenting Sallah gift to one of the widows of fallen military heroes in Abuja on Wednesday, April 12 PHOTO: JOHNSON UDEANI/NAN

BY MUSTAPHA SULEIMAN

The Federal Government has been urged to implement Au-gust 2014, national confer-ence resolutions headed by Late Justice Idris Kutigi to assuage the current agitation for secession by some people in the country.

This call was made by Com-rade Olanrewaju Oretoluwa, Executive Director Omolua-bi Center for Development Initiative in a statement en-titled: “Is Another Nation-al Conference The Next Best Thing? ’’

According to him, over 200 recommendations that was made at the conference has not be attended to, yet some Nigerians, including some 17 southern state governors at a recent meeting in Asaba, Delta State urged the Presi-dency to call for a national di-

Activist Advocates Implementation Of 2014 Confab Report

Ndume Kicks As Southern Senators Hail Govs’ Ban On Open Grazing

alogue summit to discuss and address pressing national is-sues such as the looming cri-sis of secession.

The activist wondered why our leaders love doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result.’’

He said, ‘’ I can’t under-stand why we love going in circles in this great nation? Or how can one explain why our leaders love doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result? That is clearly madness.

‘’It came to my notice that 17 Governors of the South recently converged in Asa-ba, Delta State where they put forward some resolu-tions and demands from the Federal Government. Some of their demands include a ban on the open grazing sys-tem in Southern Nigeria, devaluation of power, state

policing, a new formula for revenue allocation amongst others. These Governors urged the Presidency to call for a national dialogue sum-mit; that is a confab. They are of the opinion that at the confab, pressing issues will be addressed and the loom-ing crises of secession would be abated’’.

Comrade Olanrewaju Ore-toluwa argued that the re-cent burning issues of State policing, ban on open graz-ing, reconstruction and re-habilitation of areas ravaged by insurgency, solid miner-als development, part time legislature, revenue alloca-tion and a whole lot of oth-er meaningful and workable resolutions were all recom-mended at the last national confab, but none has been at-tended to since then, saying calling for a new confab is an

outright waste of resources and time and should be dis-couraged.

He added, ‘’ Some Gover-nors are calling for another national conference when the recommendations made in 2014 hasn’t been attend-ed to. I strongly put my foot down and condemn this meaningless action.

Let us all go back to the recommendations made and start applying them. When we have successfully done that, then we can decide if there’s a need for another one. It is an outright waste of resources and time and it should be discouraged.

‘’Let’s revisit the 2014 na-tional conference recommen-dations then we can move from there. The 2014 na-tional conference should be a guiding light for us, a step-ping stone’’.

The Chief Imam of Kano State, Prof. Sani Zahradeen delivering Eid-el-Fitr message during prayers at Kofar Mata Eid Prayer Ground in Kano on Thursday, April 13. The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero and Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje were among the Muslim faithful in attendance. POTO: NASIR ABDULLAHI/BJO/NAN

BY RUTH GBAKA

The Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), formerly known as Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād, has released photographs of militants belonging to the sect observing Eid-el-Fitr prayers at different locations in Nigeria.

While the date of the event is unknown, Eid-el-Fitr was celebrated by most Muslim faithful across the globe on May 13.

According to the pictures sighted by AljazirahNigeria, the insurgents were seen in about four groups praying together in open fields.

Boko Haram terrorists have killed thousands and displaced millions in North-Eastern Nigeria.

The Nigerian military has repeatedly claimed that the insurgency had been largely defeated and frequently underplays any losses.

In the past months, the insurgents have targeted soldiers who lay ambush on their path.

Hundreds of soldiers and officers have been reportedly killed since January 2021.

At least 25 soldiers were recently killed when a suicide bomber identified as Abdullah al-Ansari rammed an explosives-laden pick-up truck into a military convoy during a clash in Goniri, a border community between Yobe and Borno states, killing many soldiers.

In February, about 20 soldiers were also killed in Malari, Borno State, by the insurgents.

A l j a z i r a h N i g e r i a gathered that the soldiers were on patrol to clear some Boko Haram elements in the area following credible intelligence when the group ambushed them.

Terrorists Dare Army, Openly Observe Eid-El-Fitr Prayers BY AMEH GEORGE

Leading Igbo intellectual think-tank and socio-cultural group, Nzuko Umunna, has written the Chief of Army Staff, CAS, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru; the United Nations, UN; and European Union, EU, among others over what it described as ongoing extra-judicial killings in the South-East geo-political zone.

Lamenting that the killings were getting to the level of genocide, the group in the open letter to the CAS, said the killings arose from the shoot-on-sight given to Army troops in the zone.

The letter, signed by Dr Ngozi Odumuko and Dr P. Mbanefo, was copied by the Chief of Defence Staff; Minister of Defence; Chief of Staff to The C-in-C; United Nations Agency on Human Rights, Human Rights International; United States Embassy; High Commission United Kingdom; French Embassy; Russian Embassy; Amnesty International; Nigerian Human Rights, Commission; Congressional Black Caucus; Embassy of China; and European Union Mission.

The letter read in part: ”We feel duty-bound to inform you (CAS) that there is palpable fear over a ‘Shoot-On-Sight’ directive reportedly given to Army troops in the South-East in recent days, a scheme for which new batches of men were moved over the weekend.

”By some accounts, this directive seems to have been given unofficially in a hush-hush manner, making the situation all the more ominous.

“A Shoot-On- Sight directive is tantamount to an order to extra-judicially exterminate innocent citizens as there is no telling who might be part of the collateral, unintended casualties. Throughout history, such military strategies or policies have always run the risk of going contrary to all accepted conventions and protocols on the rules of engagement, particularly the Rome Statutes.

“In fact, it can be read as Genocide whereas in this case, there is a clear and evident danger of such action resulting in high casualties.

Shoot-On-Sight: Group Writes Army Chief, UN, EU, Others Over Order

BY JOEL AJAYI

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Ali Ndume, has faulted the decision of the Southern Governors Forum to ban open grazing in the South-West, South-East and the South-South geopolitical zones of the country.

Ndume, who is representing the Borno South Senatorial District in the upper chamber, stated this while addressing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday.

He insisted that the issue of open grazing was only causing insecurity in the North-Central geopolitical zone and some parts of the South- West.

Senators from southern

Nigeria had earlier on Wednesday, expressed their support for governors from their various geopolitical zones who were demanding the restructuring of the country and the immediate ban on open grazing in their respective states.

The governors on Tuesday, after their meeting, announced a ban on open grazing in all the 17 Southern states.

They also recommended that the Federal Government should support willing states to develop alternative and modern livestock management systems.

The Southern Senators Forum, in a statement on Wednesday, hailed the decision and resolutions of

their governors and pledged to work with them for the actualisation..

They urged the state chief executives to immediately approach the leadership of the National Assembly for necessary legislative input to give their decisions the required legal backing.

However, Ndume cautioned the governors to rise to the occasion of protecting their citizens instead of engaging in blame games.

The Senator said, “As far as I am concerned, this blame game will not solve the problem.

“Governors are the Chief security officers of their states, so, why are they talking about the President without talking about themselves?

“The governors are deviating from the matter. The problem is not about open grazing. The problem is security. Most of the insecurity problems confronting Nigeria is not in the bush.

“We have four different types of security challenges. We have the insurgency in the North-East, IPOB through the Eastern Security Network is creating insecurity in the South-East, and there is banditry in the North-West.

“It is only in the North Central that we have issues of farmers-herders clashes. There is less problem in the South-West except for the clashes between the herdsmen and the farmers and the agitators for the Yoruba nation.



@aljazirahnewsng



May 17 – May 23, 2021




BY SULEIMAN YAKUBU

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi on Friday said calls for restructuring should not be pushed as a fight between southern governors and President Muhammadu Buhari.

Governors from all southern states in a meeting held at Asaba, Delta State on May 11 announced a ban on open grazing in the region among

Governors’ Call For Restructuring Not Anti-Buhari – Bello

Rainstorm Wrecks Havoc In Zamfara

other germane resolutions. The governors also charged the president to address the nation on the overarching security challenges plaguing the nation.

Mr Bello, who admitted that calls from governors of southern states are genuine, said it would be wrong to be combative about restructuring.

“When we talk of restructuring or various demands or various resolutions put across by my colleagues from the South, they are quite germane and they are entitled to their opinions. I respect it,”

Heavy rainfall on Friday wreaked havoc in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, forcing residents to abandon their homes and businesses.

The rainstorm which was the first rain of the year left roofs and electricity cables destroyed.

A resident said that he has moved his family to their family house as the roof of their home was blown off. He said the rain was unexpected,

This is to notify the general public that the above named Initiative has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Abuja for change of trustees under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters act,1990.

Old Trustees1. Hannatu Mohammed2. Abdallah EL-Kurebe

New Trustees are1. LIMAN SOLOMON AHORE - Secretary2. BAMAIYI RUKKUNA RUMU3. Dr IBRAHIM MIYA4. ROSE AUGUSTINE BAMAIYI5. SERAH B. ISAAC.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES REMAIN THE SAMEAny objection to this application should be forwarded to the Registrar- General of Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi by Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: ChairmanLaiatu Augustine Bamaiyi.

Mr Bello told Channels TV on Friday. “But let me tell you, when it is tilted or when it appears as if you are fighting president Muhammadu Buhari, our father and president, we are all getting it wrong.”

Mr Bello further said Buhari alone did not bring Nigeria to its current state of insecurity and past successive governments must also be blamed.

“We got to where we are today as a result of maladministration of

making it difficult to get help.According to reports, many

houses have been plunged into darkness as a result of the rain, which started around 5 pm, as electricity poles fell.

Another eyewitness said the power authority in charge of the area demanded a huge sum of money to reconnect their cables. He lamented that despite paying N5,000 for the reconnection, there

successive administrations, not just president Muhammadu Buhari,” Mr Bello said.

is still no power.Many of the residents

lamented that they pay their bills when due but are asked to pay huge sums to solve any electricity problem.

“We don’t even know what Nigeria has turned into because everybody now needs money to do anything for you while Nigeria government claims it is fighting corruption but has no impact,” they said.

The Jigawa State Hisbah Command said it had confiscated 308 bottles of assorted alcoholic drinks in the Gumel Local Government Area of the state.

Malam Ibrahim Dahiru, the Hisbah Commander, made this known in Dutse on Saturday.

Dahiru said that the items were confiscated during an enforcement tour carried out by its operatives at one of the hotels in the area at about 10 a.m. on Friday.

Our operatives have raided a hotel in Gumel town on Gujungu road where we succeeded in confiscating 308 bottles of assorted beer.

“But we were not able to catch anyone as those present took to their heels after they sighted our men.

“I’m using this medium to remind people that consumption of beer remains prohibited in all parts of Jigawa and Hisbah will continue to enforce that,’’ Dahiru said.

He, however, explained that no arrest was made during the operation as the suspected owners and users ran away on sighting the operatives.

The commander added that the confiscated drinks were handed over to the police in the area for further action.

According to him, the consumption of beers still remains prohibited in all parts of the state.

Dahiru added that the command would continue to ensure that people stopped engaging in immoral acts and other vices that were capable of destroying the society.

Hisbah Confiscates 308 Bottles Of Beer In Jigawa BY HASSAN AHMED

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and state governors to address the security challenges bedevilling the country.

The Sultan spoke yesterday as the president pleaded for more elite understanding on raging strife in the country, explaining that time is needed for equipment procured, to fight agents of violence to submission, to be delivered.

Abubakar in his Sallah message in Sokoto said the security challenges had continued to remain a great concern to all.

“We are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari and all the state governors to, as a matter of urgency, bring to an end the insecurity across the country,” he said, adding: “As our leaders, you should continue to remain resolute and more committed to your various responsibilities of protecting the society.

The monarch cum spiritual leader said the president and the governors should enhance their commitment toward the restoration of the peaceful nature that the country was long known for.

He called on Muslims to pray more for their leaders to cope with their responsibilities.

He urged Muslims to continue to sustain the spirit of charity, generosity, hospitality and brotherhood that Eid-el-Fitr symbolises.

“Today is a great day for all of us to celebrate, show love, support and relate with one another, as such we should sustain the commitment for our best desire,” he said.

The Sultan urged the residents of Sokoto State

to strictly adhere to the COVID-19 protocols and guidelines throughout the Sallah celebration.

Buhari, however, called for more understanding by Nigerians, especially the elite, as his administration battles to end the siege on the nation by non-state actors behind banditry, insurgency and kidnapping.

He stated that the elite should understand the military operation as it takes time for equipment procured to tackle insecurity to arrive

Sultan Urges Buhari, Governors To End Insecurity

BY WISDOM ONYEISI

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has criticised critics who keep creating sedition amongst the governors with their decision to ban open grazing due to the incessant farmers/herders clashes.

Falana made this statement on Friday in response to a statement by Professor Usman Yusuf who condemned the Southern Governors Forum for its consensus on open grazing.

The SAN further recalled that the Northern Governors Forum on February 9 had resolved to ban open grazing and cited in its communique the growing wave of insecurity in the land, which was supported by all governors in a virtual meeting on February 11.

Falana, therefore, wondered why Usman criticised the Southern Governors over a resolution decided by their Northern counterparts over redressing the security challenges across the country.

“Such divide-and-rule tactics are designed to further polarise the masses of our people. In any case, the decision of all the governors to ban open grazing is in line with section 1 of the Land Use Act which has vested the entire land in every state in the governors on behalf of the people.

“Accordingly, any person or corporate body that wishes to use land in any state is required to apply for a certificate of occupancy issued by the governor,” he said.

According to Falana, the Nigerian governors had noted with concern that “‘the current system of herding conducted mainly through open grazing is no longer sustainable in view of growing urbanization and population of the country”.

He said the governors agreed to accelerate the grazing initiative of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) and ranching in the country.

Falana Blames Division Among Govs Over Ban On Open Grazingin the country.

He expressed the readiness of his administration to resist the threat by bandits to disrupt national food production in the coming growing season.

Speaking to newsmen yesterday after observing the Eid prayer to end the Ramadan fast at the State House, Abuja, the president pledged that his administration will use all available resources and manpower in dealing with bandits to ensure that they did not create havoc against access to farms and food production.

He assured Nigerians that the menace of bandits and kidnappers will be addressed to ensure that the nation’s food security is not threatened.

The president, who hoped for a good rainy season this year, said: “The law enforcement agencies are working hard to regain confidence against bandits, so that we can go back to the land. This is very important. This is what the agencies are busy doing right now. We want people to go back to the land so that we can get enough food for the country and even export.”






@aljazirahnewsng



Bello

Abubakar

PUBLIC NOTICEWOMEN RIGHTS MATTER INITIATIVE

With the registration number 158173

BY GEORGE EMINE

As the security situation in Nigeria continues to worsen, belittling government’s effort to stem it, President Muhammadu Buhari, according to sources, is heartbroken as it appears despite beginning a retired army general; he is unable to fulfill his promise of crushing criminality and terrorism.

It would be recalled that prior to the 2015 presidential election, President Buhari, then the flag bearer of the All Progressives People’s Congress, APC, and the party itself, had promised Nigerians to undertake the “Establishment of Crime Squad to combat terrorism, kidnapping, armed robbery, militants, ethno-religious and communal clashes nationwide” and to sue for “Permanent peace in the Niger Delta and other conflict prone areas such as Plateau, Taraba, Bauchi, Borno and Abia”.

Coming from a military background whose tenure as Military Head of State warmed itself into the hearts of decent Nigerians with the War Against Indiscipline, WAI, a vast majority of Nigerians who wanted a stop to the rampaging terrorism, believed he was a perfect replacement for President Goodluck Jonathan who didn’t have a military or para-military background.

According to Lasisi Omoleye who not only voted but campaigned for Buhari in 2015, “I and several others who did not only vote but also campaigned for President Buhari are at a loss of words. In fact, we even no longer know what to think. Even the blind can see that the insecurity in the land has risen astronomically yet many of us who wanted him did so because we needed a change so as to arrest insecurity.

How can I explain to my children that I voted and campaigned for a president under whose tenure bandits are having a field day even in the Federal Capital Territory, kidnapping for ransom?

“How can I explain to my children and grandchildren that I voted and campaigned for a president under whose tenure parents are withdrawing their children from school for fear of being kidnaped? How will my children and grandchildren see me? Will posterity judge me right? Just last month (April), my kid brother came with his wife and two children to my house, saying their area in Bwari is now being terrorized by bandits. He told me they were running for their lives. Meanwhile, Bwari is the headquarters of one of the area councils in the FCT, housing one of the campuses of the Nigeria Law School; the JAMB headquarters, a private university, Polytechnic among others. To my surprise, after telling Nigerians to vote them into power as they will right all the wrongs of the previous administration, all they have done is to blame others for their incompetence and laxity”.

Omoleye only expresses the feelings of a vast majority of Nigerians who did not expect the steep deterioration of insecurity. Earlier this month, this deterioration of security in the country led to the coming on board of Southern Nigeria Governors Forum meeting twice to brainstorm on the way forward in putting a check to incessant herders attack and other non state actors in the region. Representatives from fifteen of the seventeen southern states - South -west, South -south, and South-east geopolitical zones met virtually on May 4 and again on May 11 in Asaba, Delta State and at the end of the second meeting, SNGF chairman Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Governor of Ondo State, read a communiqué issued by the group. The group called on President Muhammadu Buhari to convene a “national

dialogue,” insisted on the banning of open grazing in southern Nigeria, and “affirmed that the peoples of southern Nigeria remain committed to the unity of Nigeria on the basis of justice, fairness, equity and oneness and peaceful co-existence between and among her peoples, with a focus on the attainment of shared goals for economic development and prosperity”. And the Senators from the South have thrown their weight behind the proposals put forward by their governors, calling it a welcome development.

When in 2013, former United States envoy John Campbell wrote: “Nigeria: Dancing on the Brink”, a book which brought global attention to how Nigeria was fast becoming one of the world’s most religious and violent countries, he predicted the likely breakdown of the political system, the rise of insecurity, economic sclerosis and state failure. At that time, many dismissed him as a conspiracy theorist who wished ill on Africa’s most populous country. As a result of this, heated exchanges almost led to a diplomatic row between Abuja and Washington. Today, most of the book’s forecasts have become reality. The Financial Times also recently reached the same conclusion that the Nigerian state is failing. Citizens hardly sleep with eyes closed as a result of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and ethno-religious violence spreading across states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa up to Zamfara, Katsina and Kaduna.

In recent years, the once calm Abuja-Kaduna highway has been described as a road to death due to the increasing level of daily kidnapping of travellers including security officials. Rampaging criminal herdsmen continue to attack, rape and kill unarmed civilians, especially women, across the country. In December 2020, about 344 school boys were declared missing after gunmen attacked a school in Kankara near Katsina, the President’s home state. Although jihadists claimed responsibility, the boys were later freed with military intervention, arguably after a ransom was paid. Many ungoverned spaces and jihadist colonies continue to thrive.

Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka described the country as a warzone. The Sultan of Sokoto, a spiritual leader of Muslims, feels that northern Nigeria is the worst place in the country to live. This message came as the vocal catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah, pointed to the horrible and inhuman conditions of a child born in the region. For many, life in Nigeria is fast becoming akin to a Hobbesian state of nature – nasty, brutish and short.

The North-east remains home to one of the most dreaded terrorist organisations in the world known as Jama’atu Ahlissunnah Lidda’awati wal Jihad (People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet’s Teachings and Jihad), also known as Boko Haram. According

to the Global Terrorism Index, GTI, and the group’s salafi-jihadi insurgency has led to about 37,500 combat related deaths as of 2018 and the displacement of more than two million others. Various governments have battled and failed to contain these insurgents who kidnapped school girls in Chibok, Dapchi, and later converted many of them to sex slaves. Jihadists linked to the Islamic State group have attacked army bases that led to the death of several Nigerian soldiers. At least two attacks have been carried out on the convoy of Babagana Zulum, a former university teacher and governor of Borno State, leading to many casualties. On November 28, 2020, between 40 and 110 farmers were killed by Boko Haram fighters at Zabarmari near Maiduguri.

The military continues to suffer heavy casualties amid propaganda that insurgents have been technically defeated. Philip Walton, an American, was kidnapped from his farm in nearby Niger Republic and smuggled into one of the camps of the insurgents in northern Nigeria. It took the intervention of US Navy commandos to free the hostage after a gun battle with his captors. Nigerians complain that the army appears to be losing the battle against these enemies.

President Olusegun Obasanjo had said he was embarrassed about how President Buhari is running the country, insisting that Africa’s most populous black nation is moving towards becoming a failed State.

The former President then openly accused the current administration of mismanaging diversity by allowing disappearing old ethnic and religious fault lines to reopen in greater fissures with drums of bitterness, separation and disintegration.

Obasanjo is apparently not alone. Wole Soyinka, poet, essayist and first African Nobel laureate, concurred with the former President’s assessment, describing the country as a crumbling edifice on the edge of collapse. According to another elder statesman, the former governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, referring to attacks across the country by bandits and criminal herdsmen, the failure is because ‘no serious and patriotic government will allow this level of killings of its citizens by terrorists and be watching aimlessly’. A prominent Islamic scholar, Sheik Murtala Sokoto, described those still praising Buhari as liars and hypocrites. Even within President Buhari’s own party, many people who worked for his victory now complain openly that the mission that brought them to power might have been willfully abandoned.

As things continue to deteriorate, impeccable sources have said President Muhammadu Buhari is “worried sick” of his perceived failure to curb insecurity despite boasting of crushing insurgents within six months of his administration. “Nigerians do not know how worried President Buhari is, due to this rising insecurity. I can assure you that before he took over in 2015, he believed strongly that he would curb insecurity but every Nigerian can see that the situations have continued to worsen. I can tell you he is crying as it seems he is failing in this regard. Anyone close to him knows that he does not want to be remembered as a failure. Nigerians irrespective of religion or ethnicity should come together to pray for Nigeria and Mr President”, a source who pleaded anonymity told this newspaper.

But even as there seems little hope in sight, Buhari’s aides have continued to praise their principal, saying things are not as bad as critics say it is directing Mr. President to even corroborate the same in his recent interview on Sallah Day.

Meanwhile, sources have revealed that Buhari left for Paris on Saturday on a four days visit during which he is to see his doctors for a medical check.

Buhari

Buhari Criescover news e-mail: [email protected]


@aljazirahnewsng



To my surprise, after telling Nigerians to vote them into power as they will right all the wrongs of the previous administration, all they have done is to blame others for their incompetence and laxity”.

“

May 17 – May 23, 2021




Stakeholders call for urgent actionAides say Nigeria not in too bad shapeJets off for another health check

BY AMEH GEORGE

Given the state of insecurity sweeping across board, Nigeria may have no option than to resort to food importation in order to assuage an imminent food crisis which is staring the country in the face as another round of farming season is at hand and farmers are scared of going to their farms for food cultivation which ensures food availability, AljazirahNigeria findings have revealed.

Our checks show that in many farming communities across the country, terrorists and bandits who have engaged in mostly kidnapping for ransom and other forms of criminalities have taken over the stage while obviously overwhelming the security agencies who by now are largely over stretched and undermanned.

Nigeria being the most populous country in black Africa, its population has always been on the increase since it achieved political independence. Prior to 2013, the country’s population growth rate was 2.8 percent but since then, the growth rate has been 3.1 percent. The implication is that the country’s population as at 2018 was 198.1 million with projections for persistent growth due to high fertility rate and improved child and maternal mortality. What this means is that the country has an ever-expanding need for food in order to meet the food and nutrition needs of its population and achieve food security. The current situation is that Nigeria lacks both the capacity and capability to produce enough food to feed its population despite its favorable agro-ecological conditions. In other words, Nigeria is food insecure.

According to an expert agency, “Nigeria still imports about $3 to $5 billion worth of food annually, especially wheat, rice, fish and sundry items, including fresh fruits”. The burgeoning population means that more and more resources would be devoted to food importation in order to meet the basic food needs of the country. Therefore, Nigeria’s quest to rediscover and reposition agriculture in line with.

The ECOWAP/CAADP agenda is two-pronged, namely, to modernise agriculture for enhanced productivity as well as competitiveness, and to develop a strategic agricultural value chain approach for crops, livestock, including poultry and fisheries. Both of these preoccupations are essentially aimed at addressing the food insecurity faced by the country. Nigeria has mobilised enormous investments in the agricultural sector in order to beef up food production and thus bridge demand and supply gaps in various staple foods. These investments have tended to focus on addressing the productivity challenges and the attendant hiatus between domestic production and demand. The productivity challenge is a product of inefficiency arising from continued application of outdated input systems and farming models. While making efforts to modernise the agricultural sector, emphasis has also been placed on developing quality crops by revolutionising seed varieties, fertilizer distribution system, irrigation system and general agronomy practices. It is generally recognised that the translation of this noble intention of

cover extra

revitalising the agricultural sector into concrete reality could only be possible when various agencies of government collaborate to provide infrastructure necessary to create a conducive agricultural environment. At the apex of the checklist of actions necessary to create a conducive environment in which agriculture could thrive is improved security of farming communities to reduce the incidence of criminality.

What this implies is that there is substantial foreign exchange flight out of the country through importation to augment the shortfalls. The overall implication is that farmers lose income that would otherwise have accrued to them and the agricultural sector continues to stagnate thereby losing its potential to generate employment.

However, the administration of President Mohammadu Buhari had engaged in several agriculture-focused measures to intervene in this capital flight through food importation through the central bank of Nigeria by banning the import of several food items which could be easily grown in the country, in order to act as stimulus toward revamping the economy and to ensure food sufficiency and security.

These efforts to help Nigeria achieve food self-sufficiency are also being undermined

by a series of factors.Since 2015, Buhari has implemented

measures to promote local production, including increasing taxes on imported grains, blocking food importers’ requests for foreign currency, and establishing a N200 billion ($511-million) intervention fund for rice growers.

The insecurity in Nigeria is having a serious negative impact on farming communities as it prevents them from engaging in crop production at optimal levels. Between 2011 and 2015, reasonable progress was made in the resuscitation efforts of the government. For instance, through the initiative known as the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES), a database of smallholder farmers was created, which facilitated the efficient distribution of farm inputs, especially fertilizer and improved higher yielding crop varieties to these farmers. Similarly, success was recorded in the concession of federal warehouses and storage assets. All of these efforts were aimed at closing the huge demand-supply gap in crop production.

In recent times, insecurity has negatively impacted agricultural production. Agricultural activities in the North-east of Nigeria are completely suspended as a result of the terrorist activities of the Boko Haram group in that geopolitical zone. The devastation, which the activities of Boko Haram have caused, is not only obvious but also far-reaching in its impact on agriculture. Besides the Boko Haram group, insecurity in Nigeria has been aggravated by the criminal activities of sundry groups. The group with the most devastating impact is the Fulani herders, whose murderous campaigns have targeted farming communities, with no challenge from the state.

Since 2013, there has been a steady increase in the number of displaced persons as a result of conflicts across Nigeria. United Nations sources estimated that over 2.4 million people have so far been displaced with new records of displacement from conflicts expanding the number. According to a source familiar with the subject, between January and June 2019, about 142,000 new displacements

were recorded with a caveat that the figure could most likely be an underestimate. Out of this figure, 140,000 people were displaced through conflict and 2,000 people were displaced because of disasters.

The displacement of farming communities as a result of attacks by armed groups, criminal violence and banditry is associated with an alarming rise in food and nutrition insecurity due to non-availability of food. The UNHCR’s Deputy High Commissioner underscored the gravity of conflict induced food insecurity when he was quoted to have said, “The future of young generations in the region is at stake, as food insecurity not only affects the dignity of families, but has serious consequences on the physical and cognitive development of children”.

The overall implication is reinforcing cyclic interconnections that would create and sustain intractable security crises. The intractability of insecurity would result from the clash of national insecurity and food insecurity. In other words, with national insecurity making it impossible for farmers to engage in their farm activities, food shortages would result. As food shortages result, it would create disaffection, which in turn spawns a new round of insecurity due to the intensification of the food crisis and mass reaction to it. Thus, there would be constant insecurity caused by the interplay of national insecurity and food insecurity. Of course, this scenario could be averted through massive importation of food to bridge the gap. But it would have implications for national development due to capital flight and the deepening of poverty.

Consequently, most agro-allied industries which rely on agricultural resources from farming activities would also be compelled to produce at a reduced capacity as the shortfall in farm outputs will also impact adversely on their access to raw materials for their production activities in churning out goods and other end products meant for local consumption and export, experts have warned.



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These investments have tended to focus on addressing the productivity challenges and the attendant hiatus between domestic production and demand.

“

Nanono

Food Importation Imminent As Farmers Stranded




Industries at risk of producing below capacity

BY CHARLES EBI

As Nigeria continues to bill over five million electricity customers arbitrarily amid rising cost of electricity, some meter assemblers in the country have started exporting the facility to other African countries to survive alleged Federal Government’s flawed policies.

The development bolstered by opportunities in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, AfCFTA, is fuelled by the monopolistic approach adopted by the Federal Government, especially in awarding metering contracts to companies with alleged inadequate capacity.

While the Federal Government’s National Mass Metering Programme, NMMP, and the Meter Asset Providers, MAP, scheme struggle to disburse meters to deserving households, hundreds of thousands of the assets are stored up in some warehouses without patronage.

While the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and the World Bank have invested heavily in an attempt to close the existing five million metering gaps in the Nigerian power sector, the funding, mainly loan, is coming from the $3bn, which the Federal Government said would be invested in the power sector in the next two years.

According to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Nigeria has a total of 8, 310, 408 registered active electricity customers. Since the power sector was privatised seven years ago with metering standing as a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for the distribution companies, only 3, 704, 302 (44.6 per cent) of electricity customers are metered, leaving out 55.4 per cent.

On paper, the average deployment by the DisCos should be 1, 640, 411 metres per annum (i.e. quarterly average of 410,103), but only 157,173 (i.e. 38.3 per cent) metres were deployed during the third quarter of 2018.

Before the introduction of MAP, the Credit Advancement Payment for Metering Implementation (CAPMI) had been introduced, but discontinued not long after it came into being.

That stoppage made room for arbitrary billing of electricity consumers, through the very controversial estimated billing. MAP, one of the two plans put in place to address the challenge has remained a mirage two years after.

As criticisms continued to trail it, the Federal Government came up with the NNMP to justify the increase in electricity tariff. But the plan also panned out very slowly leading to the waning of the initial optimism and projections.

In the MAP scheme, the cost of meters, which was initially shouldered by the DisCos, was transferred to consumers. But despite the transfer, most people who registered and made payments to DisCos and meter licensees were unmetered, even after NERC stressed that they must be metered within 10 working days.

Given the increase in electricity tariff towards the third quarter of last year, the Federal Government introduced the NNMP to give metres to consumers freely. That move was expected to enable the sector to generate enough funds to independently finance the bedridden industry, which remained a drainpipe despite being

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privatised. The NERC had issued 108 companies

with licenses of no objection for metering, but selected only 22 to supply metres to the 11 Discos, but undue preference limited the major suppliers to about two despite inadequate capacity.

While Momas Electricity Meters Manufacturing Company Limited, MEMMCOL, and Mojec International are suppliers across the 11 DisCos, assemblers like ENL with N1.3b worth of metres in the store, and Unistar Meters with products worth N300m in stock struggle for patronage.

A visit to the factory and warehouse of Kayz Consortium Limited, one of the meter assemblers, with its factory in the Asokoro area of Abuja, and a warehouse in the Karu, also in Abuja, over 26, 000 meters were locked up in the warehouse.

The Chairman of the company, Prince Kalu Ikpemini, when confronted with claims that some assemblers were exporting meters to some African countries, while a huge deficit exists in the country, he said the company was leveraging on the AfCFTA to escape monopolistic and bureaucratic bottlenecks created by the government in the metering process.

He decried the bottlenecks, noted that the electricity supply industry was only playing ping-pong with metering, which should not have been a critical issue under the right

policies and sincerity.Although under the Phase Zero of NNMP,

the CBN was to provide funding to the DisCos to procure one million units of metres from the existing stock (through competitive procurement under MAP initiative) at the regulated cost already established, Daily Focus gathered that only 250, 000 units were installed about seven months after the initiative was introduced.

Beside, while they were to be procured from a local meter manufacturer/assembler, stranded capacity persisted. Kalu told Daily Focus that even though the factory could turn out about 15, 000 meters per day, he was forced to look at the export market for patronage.

The Chief Executive Officer, Unister Hi-tech System Limited, another metre manufacturing company, Bolarinwa Atilade, had equally told The Guardian that his company was not engaged in the NMMP, and that the conditions for being part of the programme was never communicated to his firm.

The Executive Director, PowerUp Nigeria, Adetayo Adegbemle, also noted that the metering processes lacked transparency. While the first phase of the NNMP was expected to commence from the first month, the challenges, which bedeviled the Zero Phase, cast sufficient shadow on the government’s ability to meet up with the plan.

Under the First Phase, the CBN was expected to provide financing to the DisCos for the procurement of between three to four million metres, through a competitive procurement process among local meter manufacturers/assemblers.

The NERC had noted that contract volumes were to be apportioned to local metre manufacturers in proportion to verified manufacturing capacity.

The General Manager (Operations), Adroit Metering Services, Olusesan Okunade, had also earlier pointed out that the NMMP was not on track, adding that even those who had paid for metres under MAP were yet to be

serviced.If one million metres were rolled out as

claimed, by now we should have gone a long way. For me, the metering has not lived up to expectations as several people are still captured under the estimated billing, which I feel the government should look at,” he said.

An energy expert, Madaki Ameh, noted that the slow pace of the metering programme was not far from the gains the electricity sector was making from arbitrary billing, while accusing the DisCos of complicity in the lapses.

Ameh said: “The industry is in a mess. The Federal Ministry of Power is not being led properly. I still insist that the minister of power doesn’t know anything about the power sector, and he is just there frustrating the sector. We do not expect to see anything tangible from the metering programme. This is more like a federal government jamboree that will allow people to pocket money”.

The Special Adviser to the Minister of Power on Media, Aaron Artismas, admitted that the programme was slow, but insisted that the country needs to import meters, as local manufacturers lack the capacity to meet the demand. He said NERC would do due diligence to ensure that existing loopholes in the scheme are addressed.

The Special Adviser to the President on Infrastructure, Ahmed Zakari, noted that about 650, 000 metres have been procured with more than 400, 000 delivered.

He equally stated that the major local meter manufacturers are participating in the NNMP scheme. “It is possible that they did not have any inventory when the metre supplier list was compiled, then they rushed to import after the funds were already allocated to approved, available volumes”, Zakari said.

The President of Kayz Consortium, Ikpemini noted that his company is currently exporting meters to Rwanda and Uganda, adding that the organisation is on the verge of finalising the export deal to Ghana.

He disclosed that the last export to Rwanda was about 5, 000 units, while over 2, 500 units have been supplied to Uganda, noting that unless the Federal Government enforces a ban on importation of finished meters, importers from China and India, who are finding their ways through Kano and Lagos ports will continue to create unfair competition.

Ikemini insisted that bridging the country’s five million metering gap should not be a difficult step provided local manufacturers are patronised.

If we can compete with Chinese and Indians in other African countries and win bids, then we are not afraid of competition in our country. We only ask for a level playing field. For every complete meter imported into the country, jobs are exported. Let’s reduce insecurity in our country by engaging the youth and making them productive”, he said.

He noted that one of the ways the government can bridge the gap was to provide bank guarantee to manufacturers, and assuring them that the meters would be paid for as soon as they are manufactured.

Don’t give us money; give us bank guarantee, and you will see that meters will be supplied without any hitch. In my factory alone, we can supply almost one million units of meter in a year. Our installed capacity is about 800, 000 yearly”, he said.



@aljazirahnewsng



If we can compete with Chinese and Indians in other African countries and win bids, then we are not afraid of competition in our country.

“

Sale-Mamman

Despite Deficit, Local Producers Export Electricity Metres

May 17 – May 23, 2021




BY CHIKA MEFOR-NWACHUKWU

The Federal Government last week imposed a nationwide curfew aimed to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The National Incident Manager, Mukhtar Mohammed revealed this at the Presidential Steering Committee, PSC, on COVID-19 briefing on Monday May 10. He stated that the curfew, which will be from 12am to 4am was to take effect from midnight on Monday, May 10. Mohammed added that night clubs, gyms and others would remain closed till further notice.

He further stated that gatherings of religious groups and weddings, among others, have been reduced to 50 per cent attendance, while official engagements, meetings, and conferences should continue to hold virtually. “For gathering including wedding, parties meetings; we are expanding the limit to 50 people preferably Outdoors not in enclosed spaces and attendees must wear face masks and they must ensure proper sanitization of their hands and maintaining physical distance.

“For land and rail transport, there are no limitations anymore on inter and intrastate travel but service providers must abide by status stipulations from the Federal Ministry of Transport and ensure that PPEs are used and where applicable physical distancing is observed. For the public sector, we are maintaining the restriction and encouraging the work-at-home policy for staff below the level of grade level 12. Those at grade level 12 and above will be allowed to come to work,” he stated.

For the hospitality and entertainment

industry, hotels will continue to remain open but observing all non-pharmaceutical interventions. For amusement parks, gyms and cinemas, Mohammed stated that they could open but at half capacity adding that event centres that provide outdoor spaces can open but not indoor event centres. “Eateries and restaurants can only open for outdoor services and we will make sure this is complied with. Bars and nightclubs to remain closed until further notice. Each of authority within the state can provide additional guidelines for minimising risk in the state as it relates to these facilities and industries,” he said.

Nigerians greeted the announcement with great trepidations as many wondered if the virus was affecting huge number of people again in the country. As at May 13, 2020, the

number of reported new cases was 53, with 36 cases in Lagos State, 14 in Rivers and 3 in Akwa Ibom.

Some Nigerians while reacting to the new government directive stated that it might be connected to the insecurity in the country and not COVID-19 since the number of affected cases is dwindling. “I think it’s for security reasons during this festive week. It will restrict night movements which would have otherwise been escalated by the festivities. It’s a good move. Proactive moves are the best in everything especially security,” Cyril Gabriel, a social media analyst stated.

While some felt it is was a good move, others argued that it was not necessary as those guidelines will not be adhered to by Nigerians with the level of poverty in the nation. “Two popular pastors spoke against the government in their sermons on Sunday 9th May, and next thing Federal Government bans mass gatherings. I don’t get it. The people are hungry and fed up, and they are going to rise up. Restrictions or not, it is not going to happen,” Tony Igwe, another social media analyst stated.

However, some Nigerians felt that with the many deaths recorded in India from the virus, the nation ought to be more careful. India reports 3,43,144 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the case tally to 2,40,46,809. With about 4,000 daily deaths, India’s death toll as at the time of filing this report, stands at 2,62,317.

The World Health Organisation, WHO, said that the more-infectious coronavirus driving a catastrophic COVID-19 epidemic in India was detected in 44 countries and urged for more studies to understand its

severity and propensity to cause reinfections. The strain, according to WHO spawned three versions—B.1.617.1, B.1.617.2 and B.1.617.3. WHO stated that though there may be important differences among the three, the available evidence is too limited to characterise them individually.

Early analysis suggests B.1.617.1 and B.1.617.2 have a substantially higher growth rate than other circulating variants in India, suggesting potential increased transmissibility. The strains rapidly appeared in multiple countries, the WHO said.

Should Nigerians be worried about the COVID-19 variant, Prof. Oyewale Tomori, a professor of virology stated that the nation should. He revealed that the deadly variant has already entered Nigeria. Tomori said Nigeria has recorded five cases of the Indian COVID-19 variant in Osun and Edo states. He stated that if Nigerians are not careful and follow the COVID-19 guidelines, the country may end up like India. “The NCDC has discovered the India strain in Nigeria, but nobody is telling you that. This is the kind of message we should be telling Nigerians, that the Indian strain of COVID-19 is here with us.

“Remember what happened in December 2020 when Nigerians decided to celebrate Christmas, traveling from one place to another and then in January we had a surge of cases and people started dying due to COVID-19. We need to learn from India. The people of India let down their guard and we all can see the consequences of their actions,” he said.

The virologist further stated that Nigeria is not carrying out enough tests which has brought about the low figures of COVID-19 cases recorded in Nigeria. “Imagine in a whole state, NCDC only reported one sample in a week. Also, in the 36 states of the federation, only three states are reporting or testing for the last two to three months. So the low figures of cases reported was because we are not testing. There is increasing cases of people who want to travel but could not because they are COVID-19 positive. This should tell us that COVID-19 is still very much with us’’ he said.

He commended the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 for the re-introduction of the restriction of movement and gathering to curb the spread of the virus in the country. “This is the first time I am fully supporting the government. We shouldn’t let down our guards. I commend the PSC, they are doing the right thing for the first time and I fully support them” he said

Meanwhile, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has stated that those restrictions reeled out by the committee’s national incident manager, Mohammed were not new restrictions, adding that the Presidential Steering Committee on Covid-19 only reiterated existing regulations to control the spread of the disease.

The minister said the emphasis became imperative because Nigerians were taking things for granted and behaving as if COVID-19 had gone. He said India made the same mistake and they were paying dearly for it at the moment and cautioned Nigerians to follow the necessary guidelines to stay safe.

AljazirahNigeria while going round to monitor the level of compliance during the Salah celebrations, noticed that Nigerians were not following the guidelines and many who had gone for the Eid prayers went about without wearing a mask.

FG’s Reasons For New COVID-19 Restrictions

...Nigeria is not carrying out enough tests which has brought about the low figures of COVID-19 cases recorded in Nigeria. “Imagine in a whole state, NCDC only reported one sample in a week.

“






@aljazirahnewsng


Follow us on twitterspecial report

Ehanire

BY AMEH GEORGE

The United States government will not grant Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s request to relocate the headquarters of the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) to Africa, investigations by the ICIR, available to AljaizirahNigeria have revealed.

AFRICOM, one of the 11 unified combatant commands of the US Department of Defense responsible for military operations in Africa, has its headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany.

Buhari had, during a virtual meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on April 27, urged the US government to relocate AFRICOM’s headquarters to Africa.

Buhari’s request came at the backdrop of growing security challenges in West and Central Africa, the Gulf of Guinea, Lake Chad region and the Sahel.

In making the request, the Nigerian president noted that US assistance to African countries in the campaign against terrorism would be more effective if AFRICOM had its headquarters closer to the theatre of operations.

However a spokesperson for the Pentagon, the US Department of Defense headquarters, has informed the media that AFRICOM would not be relocated to Africa, as requested by Buhari.

Following Buhari’s request, The ICIR had contacted the Pentagon, the US Department of Defense, to find out if the US government would relocate AFRICOM’s headquarters to Africa.

In a response to the ICIR’s questions available to AljazirahNigeria, Pentagon spokesperson, Cynthia King, explained that the relocation of AFRICOM was not part of an ongoing ‘Global Posture Review’ of the operations of US combatant commands.

In a series of emails exchanged with The ICIR’s correspondent, King said previous studies conducted by the US government on the possible relocation of AFRICOM’s headquarters to Africa concluded that the cost of the relocation would undermine the effectiveness of the command’s operations.

King said, “Although there is an ongoing Global Posture Review, the relocation of Combatant Command headquarters is outside the scope of its assessment.

“In the case of AFRICOM, previous studies have concluded that the cost associated with the relocation of this headquarters is significant and likely to incur the expense of other engagement opportunities and activities that more directly benefit our valued African partners.”

“We greatly value the partnership with Nigeria and appreciate President Buhari’s recognition of the United States’ positive contribution to African peace and security, as well as other regional partners that have made similar past pronouncements. The United States remains committed to continuing our close partnership with African countries and organisations to promote security and stability,” the Pentagon spokesperson added.

Following the response, it was pointedly asked whether the previous studies mentioned by the Pentagon spokesperson ruled out the relocation of AFRICOM’s headquarters to Africa and whether it means that the US government would not grant Buhari’s request.

Responding to the follow-up questions, the Pentagon spokesperson said the studies ruled out the relocation of AFRICOM’s headquarters to Africa.

According to her, the studies noted that the relocation would be very costly and would undermine the impact of operations.

King said, “Yes, the previous studies indicated the costs would be significant to move the AFRICOM headquarters.

“The previous studies ruled out relocating of AFRICOM’s headquarters to Africa, as it was determined that a move would incur significant costs that would detract from engagement opportunities and activities that more directly benefit our African partners.”

She added, “It would be inappropriate to speculate on any future actions; however, at this time, moving this headquarters to Africa is not part of any plans.”

Although the US government would not be relocating AFRICOM’s headquarters to Africa, the Pentagon spokesperson said the US was committed to assisting African countries in overcoming challenges associated with terrorism and other forms of insecurity.

“AFRICOM’s commitment to their mission, our African and other partners, remains as strong today as when we launched this command more than a decade ago,” King observed.

Although the Pentagon ruled out any possible relocation of AFRICOM’s headquarters to Africa in the exchange with the media, the US Department of Defense in September 2020, had considered the relocation of the command after the administration of former President Donald Trump announced plans to move 12,000 troops out of Germany.

Then Acting Defense Department policy chief James Anderson had told the House Armed Services Committee that AFRICOM would be moving out of Germany “to a different location” to be determined based on the costs involved and the receptivity of potential host nations to its presence.

However, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Chrissy Houlahan had, at the public hearing in September 2020, observed that the Trump administration’s decision to move AFRICOM’s headquarters out of Germany without any agreement on where it would be relocated “does not seem to make any sense”.

In line with the Global Posture Review, Pentagon, under the present US government led by President Joe Biden, is reviewing how

US overseas forces are positioned worldwide.As part of the review, US military authorities

are reportedly assessing the plan by the Trump administration to move AFRICOM out of Germany along with thousands of troops.

There were concerns that the moves by the Trump administration to pull out troops from Germany would have ended the US’s military presence in the European country. However, although the plan is officially on hold, the Pentagon has not formally cancelled the decision taken by the former US President.

Nigeria, other African countries initially opposed US plans to locate AFRICOM’s headquarters in Africa.

The Pentagon had intended to have AFRICOM’s headquarters in Africa when the command was established in 2008, but that plan was dropped after stiff opposition from several African countries, arguing that hosting the military outfit on the continent would amount to another form of colonisation by the US.

In 2007, a US delegation led by the Principal Deputy Under-Secretary of Defense for Policy Ryan Henry could not make any headway in a series of consultations with different African countries while trying to secure facilities and local back up for the new command in Africa.

Several African countries, including those considered Washington’s friends on the continent, pointedly told the US that they did not welcome a permanent US military presence in their territories.

Besides issues relating to sovereignty, the African countries were concerned that AFRICOM’s facilities could become a target of terrorist attacks, thereby exposing them to terrorism. The concern trumped suggestions that the military command would come with economic incentives, including prospects of hundreds of local jobs.

In September 2007, weeks after the

Southern African Development Community (SADC) released a public objection to the presence of American soldiers in all Southern African countries, the Nigerian government then headed by late President Umaru Yar’Adua rejected plans by the US to host AFRICOM in Africa.

Nigeria also opposed any plans to locate the command in any other country in West Africa.

Nigeria, Libya and South Africa had spearheaded continent-wide rejection of plans to locate AFRICOM’s headquarters in the continent.

Buhari’s recent call on the US government to relocate AFRICOM to Africa suggests that some of the previous opposition to hosting the US command in Africa has faded. However, sentiments expressed by a former Senator representing Kaduna Central Shehu Sani indicate that there are still misgivings over the matter.

Sani recently expressed concerns that Buhari’s request that AFRICOM is relocated to Africa was an open invitation for recolonisation of Africa by other world powers who might want to follow suit immediately after the US moved in.

“The President’s call for world powers military HQ on African soil is an open invitation for recolonisation of Africa. It’s easier to tell and get them to come, and when they come, it’s impossible to tell and get them to go out.

“Once the US relocates their HQ to Africa, Russia, China, Iran, Saudia, Israel, and co would follow suit with establishing their Commands HQs, and then Africa will be militarily balkanised; then we either become like Korea or like Syria,” Sani tweeted.

AFRICOM became a fully operational command on October 1, 2008, following a directive issued by then US President George Bush in February 2007 to create a US African Command. The decision was the culmination of several years of deliberation within the Department of Defense acknowledging the growing strategic importance of Africa.

On its website, africom.mil, its mission statement said: “US Africa Command, with partners, counters transnational threats and malign actors, strengthen security forces, and responds to crises to advance US national interests and promote regional security, stability, and prosperity.”

“A safe, stable, and prosperous Africa is an enduring American interest,” it added.

The website further explained that AFRICOM was responsible for all US Department of Defense operations, exercises, and security cooperation on the African continent, island nations, and surrounding waters.

Its area of responsibility consists of 53 African states, more than 800 ethnic groups, over 1,000 languages, vast natural resources, a landmass of 11.2 million square miles (three-and-a-half times the size of the US), and nearly 19,000 miles of coastland.

However, questions about whether Germany was the right location for AFRICOM had lingered since the formation of the command. Some political leaders in the US had reportedly lobbied to have AFRICOM’s headquarters in their home districts in the hopes of gaining jobs and the economic ripple effects of hosting a major command.

Why US Rejected Request To Relocate AFRICOM To Africa

Although there is an ongoing Global Posture Review, the relocation of Combatant Command headquarters is outside the scope of its assessment.

“



@aljazirahnewsng



Biden

May 17 – May 23, 2021




BY MARIAM SANNI

The Central Bank of Nigerian, CBN, on March 8, introduced the Naira4dollar policy, but within such a short space of time, the policy’s impact on Nigerians has made them clamour for its extension. For instance, Mr. Ugochukwu Okoro, a First Bank customer, said he was not aware of the Naira4dollar promo until he received money from his brother in the United States of America. Okoro said he was surprised when his account was credited and upon enquiry he was told it was the fallout of the Naira4dollar scheme introduced by the apex bank to boost Diaspora remittances. While he applauded First Bank’s seamless service delivery and reward to its customers, Okoro urged the CBN to extend the policy to enhance awareness for the needed impact to be felt. Similarly, Mrs. Blessing Adebayo, another First Bank customer, who lauded the initiative, said she was amazed when her brother sent money to her and she was rewarded. Adebayo said she received N25, 000 in cash on 5,000 dollars sent by her brother in the Diaspora to meet family needs. Just as the policy is gradually coming to an end, many Nigerians who have benefited from it and those yet to, believe the apex bank should review its impact and consider an extension for more Nigerians in the Diaspora to take advantage of the initiative.

Financial experts have weighed in on the call for the apex bank to extend the timeline of the scheme. Chief Operating Officer, InvestData Ltd., Mr Ambrose Omordion, was emphatic that the CBN should review the policy and extend its timeline for better result or effect. His reasons are not far-fetched. He said the introduction of Naira4dollar by CBN in seven weeks had not done much to support exchange rate stability as the rates continued to fluctuate within this period. He noted that the devaluation of naira over time had continued to weaken the nation’s currency and encouraged imported inflation, which invariably led to today’s galloping inflation rate of 18.17 per cent. He is, therefore, of the view that the scheme should be extended to encourage Nigerians in the Diaspora to remit more into the country and also improve foreign exchange inflows.

Indeed, when the CBN introduced the Naira4dollar policy to boost Diaspora remittance into the nation, the overriding objective was that it would stabilize the exchange rate and bring more hard currencies into the country. According to the CBN governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, the policy would enlarge the scope of foreign exchange inflows into the country to support the external reserves.

Even before the introduction of the scheme, the apex bank had in December 2020 introduced a policy that allowed beneficiaries of remittances from abroad to receive cash payments in the foreign currency of their choice. In a circular

announcing the policy, the CBN said: “International Money Transfer Operators, IMTOs must ensure that all funds in favour of beneficiaries/recipients in Nigeria be deposited into the Agent Banks’ correspondent account.

“Agent Banks (Deposit Money Banks) in Nigeria will be responsible for the payment to beneficiaries/recipients either in foreign currency cash (USD) or into the beneficiaries/recipients’ domiciliary account in Nigeria. The mode (of payment either in cash or transfer) is at the sole discretion of the beneficiaries/recipients”, said the circular.

The expectation of the apex bank is that the policy will deepen the foreign exchange market, provide more liquidity and create more transparency in the administration of Diaspora remittances into Nigeria. Consequently, to complement this policy, especially in terms of encouraging Nigerians in the Diaspora to patronise official channels for remittance transfers,

the Naira4dollar scheme was introduced.According to Emefiele, the Naira4dollar

policy gives N5 rebate for every $1 sent by Nigerians in the Diaspora to the country, which is paid directly to the account of the beneficiaries, following the receipt of the remittance inflows. The CBN had promised that the new policy would provide Nigerians in the Diaspora with cheaper and more convenient ways of making remittances to Nigeria.

Defending the dollar policy, Emefiele said the move was also to increase the transparency of remittance inflows and reduce rent-seeking activities. He was optimistic that the new policy would encourage banks and financial institutions to develop products and investment vehicles, geared toward attracting investments from Nigerians in the Diaspora.

Reiterating the provision in a new circular on remittances, the CBN boss said the bank introduced the rebate of N5 for every $1 of fund remitted to Nigeria, through International Money Transfer Operators, IMTOs, licensed by the CBN in order to incentivise the process of remittance. Emefiele explained that the new measure would help to make the process of sending remittance through commercial bank channels cheaper and more convenient for Nigerians in the Diaspora.

The policy was sweet music to some commercial banks; they soon latched onto it, ensuring seamless flow of Diaspora remittances. First Bank of Nigeria Ltd, Access Bank Plc, United Bank for Africa, Fidelity Bank Plc and Zenith Bank Plc, among others partnered IMTOs to ensure the success of the scheme. In no time,

First Bank partnered many IMTOs such as Western Union, RIA, WorldRemit, MoneyGram, Transfast and AWS Malta to ensure increased participation.

The bank aligned its processes with over 12 new IMTOs to support the apex bank’s initiative aimed at boosting foreign exchange and financial inclusion.

Speaking on the initiative, First Bank’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Adesola Adeduntan said “at FirstBank, we are pleased to participate in the CBN’s Naira4Dollar scheme as it will contribute to deepening financial inclusion in Nigeria. “Indeed, it’s an activity we are pleased to lead, whilst promoting access to funds across the nooks and crannies of the country in almost 127 years of our existence. We are delighted to be a gateway to promoting dollar remittances into the country and we encourage our customers, their loved ones and friends to use our international money transfer services. It will enable them to enjoy the rewards of this promo, sustaining the increase in inflows of Diaspora remittances into Nigeria, consequently help in poverty reduction, income redistribution and enhancement of economic growth”, Adeduntan said.

He noted that the bank pioneered international funds transfer and remittances over 25-years ago and had been in the forefront of promoting cross border payments in the country, having started the journey with Western Union Money Transfer. Adeduntan said the bank’s wealth of experience and operation in over 750 locations nationwide gave it an edge in the market.

He said the bank recently launched the First Global Transfer product to promote international transfer of funds across its subsidiaries in sub-Saharan Africa. The bank’s subsidiaries in Africa include FBNBank DRC, FBNBank Ghana, FBNBank Gambia, FBNBank Guinea, FBNBank Sierra-Leone, FBNBank Senegal. Adeduntan said all the bank’s sell money transfer products, noting that N100 billion worth of transactions was carried out in 2020 involving over one million customers.

Also, Access Bank Plc in March unveiled a reward scheme for its customers to promote Diaspora remittances into the country. Access Bank’s Executive Director Retail Banking, Mr. Victor Etuokwu, said the bank would be rewarding customers with five naira on every one dollar received from their loved ones or associates abroad through foreign remittances. He said the five naira for every dollar; cash back would be paid to Access Bank customers irrespective of their preference to receive funds as US dollars cash pick-up over the counter or direct transfer into their domiciliary accounts.

According to him, the reward scheme is in line with the CBN’s “Naira4Dollar scheme” aimed at encouraging inflow of Diaspora remittances into the country.

“Remittance services are a key aspect of our economy and it is still vibrant and viable today because people still take care of family members, loved ones, friends and invest at home even as they live abroad”, he said.

From all indications, the Naira4Dollar scheme has had a fair outing so far, hence when it comes up for review, it is hoped that the apex bank extends its timeline for the benefit of all the stakeholders, and in the overall interest of the economy.

Examining CBN’s Naira For Dollar Scheme

Defending the dollar policy, Emefiele said the move was also to increase the transparency of remittance inflows and reduce rent-seeking activities.

“






@aljazirahnewsng



Emefiele

Beach Volleyball: Presidents’ Cup To Unravel New Talents – Nimrod

Abuja Gymnastics Club Celebrates 10th Anniversary

“There are difficult matches from time to time, and that is absolutely normal. You have to stay calm and confident after them”. – Thomas Tuchel

Joshua Versus Fury Mega-Fight: Fans Will Travel To Saudi – Promoter

Doubts Cast Over Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Nigeria/Cameroon Friendly: Rohr Invites Four

Home-based Players

Sports...first in breaking the news www.aljazirahnews.comNIGERIA



May 17 – May 23, 2021




UCL Final: Chelsea, M/City Supporters Face Strict Portuguese Travel Demands

Africa’s Athletes’ hope dashed Algiers African Tournament Postponed

BY JOEL AJAYI

All is set for the 10 years anniversary of Tony International Gymnastics clubs TIG in the capital city of Nigeria

Abuja TIG club clock 10 and since its inception have discovered, trained and nurtured thousands of gymnasts and made the hopeless realize their dream.

Since been set up 10 years ago, Gymnastics Club has grown from having trained young gymnasts from all over the country.

Speaking ahead of the celebration, Nigeria’s first International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) Certified Coach and founder of Anthony Asuquo, said he is happy for his contribution toward the development of gymnasts in the country and beyond.

Over the past 10 years, the gymnastics community has evolved in many ways yet, there has been one constant; the commitment and passion

He thanked Nigerian for the support and urged them to do more, “To everyone who has taken part in gymnastics over the years says a big thank you to all.

However, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare has commended Tony International Gymnastics, TIG, for discovering and nurturing future gymnast for the future

The Minister, who recently, expressed his pleasure at seeing committed young gymnasts, said they are Nigeria’s hope for gymnastics in the future, noting that “This is a process. You are catching them young and that is what we at the Ministry are trying to do in sports in general. The kids will do great things in the near future”.

of local camping will commence from May15 - July 23 in Bayelsa, Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt. Track and Field National Olympics Trials takes place on June 17- 19th, African Athletics Championship from June 22- 26th, 2021.

The last phase of the camping will be in Kisarazu from July 3rd-23rd, while the 1st

batch of athletes will enter the Games A village from August 8th.

10 sports including Wrestling, Judo, Taekwondo, Gymnastics, Table Tennis, Badminton, Male and Female Basketball are some of the events Nigeria has qualified. Others are Track and Field, Weightlifting and Rowing, Canoeing and Sailing.

BY JOEL AJAYI

The possibilities of Japan to host a successful Olympic Games have been dealt a heavy blow after some towns are said to have abandoned plans to host Olympic athletes.

The towns are concerned they will be overburdened following a fourth wave of Coronavirus infections according to the Japanese Nikkei report over the weekend.

Forty of more than 500 towns registered to welcome international competitors had decided not to accept athletes for training camps and cultural exchanges before the global sporting

BY JOEL AJAYI

English Football enthusiasts traveling to Portugal for the Champions League final between Chelsea and Manchester City have been told they must fly in and out of the country within 24 hours.

The Portuguese government also said supporters would have to operate in ‘bubbles’, arrive and depart only on charter planes, and face COVID-19 tests for the May 29 clash in Porto.

The European showpiece has been switched from Istanbul after the UK Government added Turkey to its high-risk “red list” for international travel.

Chelsea and Manchester City will be provided with 6,000 tickets each for the match at the Estadio do Dragao.

While speaking on the development, Portugal’s Cabinet Affairs Minister, Mariana Vieira da Silva said: “Those who come to the

final of the Champions League will come and return on the same day, with a test done, in a bubble situation, on charter flights.

“There will be two fan zones and from there they will be moved to the stadium and from the stadium to the airport, being in Portugal less than 24 hours.

“Obviously those coming by plane (to be in Porto while the match is on but do not actually go to the stadium) will comply with the established rules and security measures will be put in place”.

Wembley was considered as an alternative to Porto, but the UK Government could not accommodate UEFA’s request to allow quarantine exemptions for thousands of sponsors, VIPs and broadcasters.

However, the decision means Portugal will host the UEFA Champions League final for the second year in a row, after Lisbon was the location for the delayed final stages of last season’s competition.

showpiece.The reluctance of some towns to host

visiting athletes, normally a source of pride for communities outside the host city, is the latest sign of deep unease in Japan over the scheduling of the Games in the middle of a pandemic.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games were postponed last year and are scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 8, despite a surge in infections and a state of emergency in the host city.

In a related development, the Athletics African Championships (seniors), which were to take place in Algiers from June 22 to 26, have been postponed indefinitely.

The postponement of Athletics tourney was connected with Covid-19 reasons. A statement from the Algeria Ministry of Youth and Sports reads: “African Championships scheduled to hold in Algeria is postponed to a later date due to the health situation linked to the Covid-19 pandemic and following the recommendations of the scientific committee for monitoring the evolution of the pandemic”.

This is a big blow for athletes who are trying to achieve the Olympic standard or get World Ranking points to secure Olympic qualification.

With this development, hopes of Nigeria’s athletes who have been training hard to get Olympics tickets through the African championship have been dashed.

UCL Final: Chelsea, M/City Supporters Face Strict Portuguese Travel Demands

Doubts Cast Over Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Nigeria/Cameroon Friendly: Rohr Invites Four Home-based Players

80 Athletes To Represent Nigeria In 10 Sports At Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Beach Volleyball: Presidents’ Cup To Unravel New Talents – Nimrod Joshua Versus Fury Mega-Fight: Fans Will Travel To Saudi – Promoter

BY JOEL AJAYI

Nigeria will fight to make history after 21years of participating in the Africa Women Handball Championship slated for 8th to 18th June this year in Cameroon

AljazirahNigeria Sports gathered that the Nigeria women handball team will be participating in the tournament for the first time since the 1990s.

Speaking ahead of the tourney, the captain of Nigeria Women Senior Handball Team Dorathy Nyagh is confident the team will emerge victorious at the Africa Women Handball Championship to be held in Cameroon.

The National Women Handball Team is currently undergoing a closed intense preparatory camp ahead of the 24th Africa Women Handball Championship at the Aguiyi Ironsi Cantonment in Abuja.

Nigeria has been drawn in Group B alongside hosts Cameroon, DR Congo and Kenya.

The camping exercise is led by the assistant coach Yusuf Abdukadir who is holding fort for head coach, Rafiu Salami.

Salami will join the team on Saturday and Dorathy is confident that with the level of preparation so far, the team will do well in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Nigeria’s Handball Team To Play In AWHC After 21 Years

Abuja Gymnastics Club Celebrates 10th Anniversary

BY SALOME UNWUCHOLA

With the release of 31 players provisional squad list for Nigeria’s Super Eagles prestige international friendly game against five-time African champions Cameroon in Austria come Friday, June 4, 2021; it seems the Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr has retraced his steps by including 4 NPFL players.

Incidentally, four players playing in the

Nigeria Premier League made it into the list largely dominated by foreign based players.

Before this time hardly will 2 players of NPFL make the list but to the surprise of everyone, 4 players were included and that shows that the yearning of football lovers to be including home-based players to ensure growth and development is now seeing the light of the day.

The home-based player comprise of surplus Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa

The Chairman Caretaker Committee of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Engineer Musa Nimrod said talented players will be discovered at this year’s Presidents’ Beach Volleyball Cup.

The President Beach Volleyball Cup will take place from May16 to 20, 2021 in Kaduna.

Nimrod stated that the young players will stand a chance of meeting some of their iconic players and eventually play them at the championship.

He said some of the players who will represent

BY JOEL AJAYI

The controversy that greeted the Nigeria Women Football League Super Six held in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State that divinely produced Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt have come and gone. But the intrigue and intricacies that led to the abrupt end of the Nigeria Women Football League still keeps tongues wagging.

The statement from the body on April 6, 2021, NWFL Board stated that the league was called off because it cannot continue with the second stanza due to the facts that the WAFU play off would hold in May and the NWFL league will end on July 7. However, recent event has proved that Nigerians were either deceived or lied to cancelation of NWFL.

The scenario that played out was simply some person arm-twisted everyone to believe the lie that Nigeria stands the risk of not having a candidate if we do not end the league and play a “Super Six”. But NFF has been notified by CAF that submission of teams for inter-club competition for 2021/22 season is June 30, yet the LMC had not even called for an end to the NPFL.

The Sham And Scam Of NWFL Super Six

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Fury and JoshuaNimrod

Rohr

Nyagh

of Kano Pillars FC; Enyimba FC’s energetic forward Anayo Iwuala, whose tenacity and drive has helped the People’s Elephant to the quarter-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup, has the opportunity to fight for a place and continue on his international footprints, his teammates John Noble (Enyimba FC) and Ikechukwu Ezenwa of Heartland FC.

The game will take place at the Wiener Neustadt in the Austrian capital, Vienna starting from 8.30 PM Austria time.

Nigeria at the Olympics Qualifiers will take part in the event.

“I am optimistic that new talents will be discovered at this year’s Presidents’ Cup. Last year, we saw players who have never attended Beach Volleyball tournaments anywhere in the country put up a nice display.

“This year’s edition is going to be explosive because most players are hungry for competition after the pandemic denied them playing time”.

The promoter of Anthony Joshua; Eddie Hearn has revealed that fans could travel to watch the AJ and T F fight penciled August 14, in either the Saudi capital Riyadh or coastal city Jeddah.

Hearn believes overseas fans will be allowed to attend. “The Saudi plan is to allow international travelers.

“Pandemic permitting, I’d like to think by August you’d have the ability to travel to Saudi for this fight. They may have precautions in place,

whether that’s vaccine-related or testing – I’m sure all countries will adopt different policies worldwide. But their aim is to attract overseas travelers”.

It will be recalled that Joshua fought and beat Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia in their heavyweight rematch in December 2019, for which Saudi organizers erected a purpose-built arena, and the intention is similar this time around.

Africa’s Athletes’ hope dashed Algiers African Tournament Postponed

As Team Nigeria camp opens in Kisarazu July 23BY LAWAL IBRAHIM

No fewer than 80 Nigerians Athletes from 10 sports Federations will represent the giant of Africa Nigeria at the forthcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympic in Japan.

Minister of Youth and Sports Development Chief Sunday Dare gave the hint on Friday when he unveiled a comprehensive plan for Team Nigeria towards a podium success at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

According to the roadmap, the final stage

JEDDAH: The details of a financial aid system for job seekers, which was recently approved by Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers, have been revealed.

Payments will be made to eligible claimants for up to 15 months. They will receive SR2,000 ($530) a month for the first four months after a successful claim, SR1,500 a month for the following four months, SR1,000 a month for four months after that, and SR750 a month for the final three months.

To be eligible for the aid, applicants will have to meet a number of conditions. They must be Saudi nationals or permanent residents of the Kingdom, between the ages of 20 and 40, able to work, and seriously and actively looking for a job.

They must not already be employed in the public or private sectors, or receiving a retirement pension, income from social security, or any other allowance. The owners of commercial enterprises are not eligible for the aid, nor are students or trainees at any stage of their education or training.

In addition, an applicant will

Eligibility Rules, Amount Of Aid Revealed For Job Seekers In Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia’s King, Crown Prince Exchange Eid el-Fitr Greetings With Leaders Of Muslim Nations

The new system aims to regulate the system of financial aid for people looking for work and clearly define the rules for eligibility.

not qualify for aid if his or her wealth exceeds a certain amount, but the exact figure for this was not specified. Applicants must not previously have benefited from the job-search aid system or any other financial allowances paid to job seekers.

The authorities said the new

system aims to regulate the system of financial aid for people looking for work and clearly define the rules for eligibility. In addition it is designed to support job seekers, motivate them to enter the labor market, and set out the rights, responsibilities and obligations of the Human

Resources Development Fund and those who are looking for work.

Applications to the fund can be submitted online or through authorized representatives. Individuals whose applications are rejected have the right to file an appeal with the relevant authorities.

RIYADH: King Salman said Saudi Arabia condemned Israel’s actions in Jerusalem and the acts of violence committed by Israeli forces at Al-Aqsa mosque.

His comments came during a phone call with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday to discuss the Israeli attacks in Jerusalem, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

King Salman said the Kingdom stands by the Palestinian people in order to obtain their legitimate rights.

During the call, Khan extended greetings to the king on the advent of Eid Al-Fitr, which starts on Thursday. The king thanked the premier and reciprocated the sentiments.

They also discussed the “distinguished relations between their two countries, and reviewed the latest regional and international developments.”

Inspection Tours Stepped UpFor Virus ViolationsJEDDAH: Jeddah municipality is working with the Saudi authorities to intensify its field inspection tours on the waterfront during the first days of Eid Al-Fitr to check for violations of the precautionary measures against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The municipality teams carried out 180 inspection tours that detected 69 violations and closing nine sites.

The municipality has put in place field plans to cover the North Corniche, Saif Beach, the Palestine Street Promenade and the Central Corniche, using the necessary equipment to clean the sites at regular intervals, in addition to carrying out intensive sanitization campaigns in seating

areas, children’s playgrounds and disinfecting waste containers.

It stressed that it will step up joint field efforts with relevant authorities in the markets, waterfronts and public facilities to follow up on compliance with health preventive measures to control the spread of the virus, especially during the Eid days that are witnessing large turnouts of visitors.

The municipality urged people to comply with precautionary procedures and report any violations on the toll-free number 940 or the “Balady” mobile app.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia reported 12 more COVID-19-related deaths on Friday. The death toll now stands at 7,134.

The Ministry of Health reported

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927 new cases, meaning that 431,432 people have now contracted the disease. Of these, 8,551 remain active, 1,323 of them in critical condition.

According to the ministry, 265 of the newly recorded cases were in Riyadh, 262 in Makkah, 128 in the Eastern Province and 69 in Madinah.

In addition, 1,608 patients had recovered from the disease, bringing the total to 415,747 recoveries.

Saudi Arabia has so far conducted 17,868,871 PCR tests, with 56,495 carried out in the past 24 hours.

Saudi health clinics set up by the ministry as testing hubs or treatment centers have helped hundreds of thousands of people around the Kingdom since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

وأوضح أنھ أثناء أداء واجباتھم الدستوریة ، تعرض بعض الصحفیین للخطر ، مما أودى بحیاتھم أو تسبب

في وأضاف دون أنھ في عصر الاختطاف التجاري والتمرد ، كان

الصحفیون أھدافا سھلة لمرتكبي الجریمة بلا ھوادة ، مشیرا إلى الاغتیال المؤلم لرئیس التحریر

المؤسس لمجلة نیسواتش ، السید دیلي. غیوا ؛ والسید باغودا كلثو من دینوس ، من بین العدید من الآخرین

، الذین دفعوا التضحیة الكبرى في أداء الواجب.

"ھذا وقت صعب للغایة بالنسبة للصحفیین لأنھم من المتوقع الإبلاغ عن المواقف الأمنیة للجمھور حتى یتمكن الناس من وأخبرھم من حیث

المكان الذي یمكنھم الذھاب إلیھ وأین یجب ألا یجرؤوا على الذھاب من

أجل سلامتھم ".

وسائل الإعلام بصفتھا صلیبیین في الخطوط الأمامیة ضد الإرھاب وأشكال الإجرام الأخرى ، بینما

تتعرض حیاتھم للخطر دون أي شكل من أشكال التأمین المناسب لعائلاتھم

في حالة حدوث أي احتمال.

وقد قدر عزیز الأدوار الرائعة للصحفیین في بناء الدولة وتعزیز

الأمن القومي وقال إنھ على الرغم من التحدي الذي یواجھ سلامتھم

الشخصیة ، إلا أنھم ظلوا یخدمون لیل نھار من خلال إعداد تقاریرھم وتعلیمھم وتعبئة الجھود المتضافرة

لحل التحدیات الأمنیة في البلاد.

وترفیھ الجمھور ، كما ھو منصوص علیھ في دستور جمھوریة نیجیریا الاتحادیة ، إلى جانب ذلك ، نصح

الصحفیین في نیجیریا دائما بضمان أقصى درجات السلامة أثناء أداء

مسؤولیاتھم.

دعا بروفیسور لقمان عزیز من قسم الإعلام بجامعة إیلورین إلى إدخال جدول رواتب خاص للصحفیین في

البلاد.

من المؤسسات الإعلامیة في البلاد ، وبرر موقفھ بفداحة س مسؤولیات

مقابلة مع الصحفیین بمناسبة الیوم العالمي للصحافة ، حیث قال إن

الراتب الخاص یجب أن یتناسب مع المسؤولیات الضخمة التي یضطلع

بھا الصحفیون .

وأوضح أنھ إذا كان من الممكن منح المھنیین في دعوات أخرى الامتیاز ،

فلا یوجد سبب یدعو الصحفیین إلى ذلك عدم منح رواتب ومخصصات خاصة ، لذلك دعا عزیز أصحاب

المصلحة إلى إقناع مجلس الأمة والسلطات الأخرى ذات الصلة بجعل

إدخال وتنفیذ نظام تأمین خاص للصحفیین من قبل الحكومة وأرباب

العمل شرطا أساسیا لإنشاء وتشغیل وإعادة التصدیق.

الیوم العالمي لحریة الصحافة: دون یدعو إلى الراتب الخاص للصحفیین

أولمبیاد طوكیو: افتتاح معسكر فریق نیجیریا من

أجل الیابان في ٣ یولیو

- السناتور بخاري

نیجیریا بحاجة إلى إعادة ھیكلة ولیس انفصال

ن لـ ٦٠٠٠ شخص

حكومة كانو تبدأ فحص وجراحة العیو

وفقا لخارطة الطریق الصادرة عن السكرتیر الدائم للوزارة ، نیبولیسا

أناكو ، یوم الخمیس ، ستقام المرحلة النھائیة من التخییم المحلي في الفترة من ١٥ مایو إلى ٦ یولیو في بایلسا

وأبوجا ولاغوس وبورت ھاركورت.

ستقدم نیجیریا حوالي ٨٠ ریاضیا في ١٠ ریاضات في أولمبیاد طوكیو.

المصارعة والتایكواندو وتنس الطاولة وكرة السلة للرجال والسیدات ھي بعض الأحداث التي تأھلت إلیھا

نیجیریا.

والبعض الآخر ھو سباقات المضمار والمیدان ، ورفع الأثقال والتجدیف ، والتجدیف والإبحار. قررت نیجیریا تضییق نطاق مشاركتھا في الألعاب الریاضیة حیث تتمتع بمیزة تنافسیة

في الفوز بالمیدالیات.

ستقام تجارب سباقات المضمار والمیدان الأولمبیة الوطنیة بین ١٧

یونیو و ١٩ یولیو ، بینما تحتل البطولة الأفریقیة لألعاب القوى مركز الصدارة من ٢٢ إلى ٢٦

یونیو.

كشفت الوزارة الفیدرالیة للشباب وتنمیة الریاضة عن خطة شاملة

لفریق نیجیریا من أجل الفوز بمیدالیات في أولمبیاد طوكیو.

وستكون المرحلة الأخیرة من المعسكرات في كیسارازو ، الیابان ،

في الفترة من ٣ إلى ٢٣ یولیو ، عندما ستدخل الدفعة الأولى من

الریاضیین قریة الألعاب للأولمبیاد المناسب.

وقال إنھ لیس أقل من ١٨٠ سیستفید الناس من جراحة الساد ، مضیفا أن

١١٠ شخصا سیخضعون لجراحة الساد مجانا في منطقة حكومة تسانیاوا

المحلیة.

وأوضح حسین ، الذي قال أن البرنامج سینفذ مرتین في السنة ، أن أكثر من ٦٠٠٠ شخص من مناطق

الحكومة المحلیة المختارة الاثني عشر كانوا موجودین.

بدأت حكومة ولایة كانو بالتعاون مع مؤسسة البصار ومستشفى ماما

التخصصي للعیون ، كانو ، فحصا مجانیا للعین لـ ٦٠٠٠ شخص في

الولایة. أعلن الدكتور تیجاني حسین عن ذلك

یوم الثلاثاء في افتتاح التمرین في منطقة الحكم المحلي في تسانیاوا ،

كانو.

من المتوقع أن یستفید من التمرین التجریبي المجاني لفحص العین ،

وتعلیقا على التمرین ، قال منسق الرعایة الأولیة للعیون بالولایة ، السید

كاملو صالح ، إن التمرین سیوفر علاجا طبیا مجانیا للعیون للمرضى

بالإضافة إلى الفحص.

أفادت الجزیرة النیجیریة أن حكومة كانو قدمت في أبریل / نیسان رعایة

مجانیة للعیون في خدمات الرعایة الصحیة الأولیة وأنشأت ١٢ مركزا

للعنایة بالعیون في ٤٤ منطقة حكومیة محلیة

وأشاد د من تسانیاوا الحاج دیابو علیو بجھود الإدارة الحالیة في الولایة لالتزامھا بتقدیم خدمات الرعایة

الصحیة النوعیة للناس ، ودعا علیو الناس في الولایة إلى دعم حكومة الولایة في جھودھا لتوفیر الجودة.

أمیر كانو سنوسي لامیدو سنوسي ، یؤدي صلاة عید الفطر في ساحة مورتالا في كادونا یوم الخمیس ١٣ مایو.

صلاة عید : الوالي تامبوال یحث النیجیریین بأعمال خیریة وأخویةوبالتنسیق مع الحكومة الفیدرالیة ،

فإننا لا ندخر وسعا لتأمین حیاة الناس وممتلكاتھم. وقال تامبوال: "علاوة

على ذلك ، كان الوضع أكثر صعوبة لولا الدعم القیم من قادتنا التقلیدیین

وشعب الولایة الذین وقفوا إلى جانبنا في السراء والضراء".

وطالب المواطنین بمواصلة الصلاة ومساندة السلطات في المھمة الشاقة لإنقاذ الوطن. "لا یزال من المناسب

لنا جمیعا أن نتكاتف في مكافحة التمرد واللصوصیة والأنشطة

الإجرامیة الأخرى التي أثرت على جمیع جوانب حیاتنا.

في ولایة سوكوتو ، لم نكتف بمجادیفنا في محاولة التخفیف من ھذه

التحدیات من خلال مواجھتھا وجھا لوجھ من أجل تقلیص آثارھا على

حیاة شعبنا.

وقال الحاكم إنھ من دواعي القلق الشدید أن ولایة سوكوتو ، للأسف ،

لم تسلم من انعدام الأمن الذي أثر على البلاد. "ومع ذلك ، فقد قدمنا

أقصى قدر من الدعم لأجھزة الأمن.

لقد ضمنت حكومتنا إدارة حكیمة لمواردنا المحدودة ولم تفشل في

الوفاء بالتزاماتنا تجاه الشعب. قال "ھذا واضح في شروعنا في مشاریع

حاسمة في تحول دولتنا".

"بالتأكید من خلال التمسك بالدروس المستفادة خلال ھذا الشھر ، یمكننا التغلب على التحدیات العدیدة التي

نواجھھا كشعب.

وأجرى تامبوال المكالمة في بث قناة صلاح على مستوى الولایة في

سوكوتو یوم الخمیس. قال الحاكم إن ھذا ضروري ، لا سیما في الأوقات

العصیبة التي تمر بھا الأمة.

حاكم أمینو تامبوال من ولایة سوكوتو ، دعا النیجیریین إلى

الصمود ، وتشرب ثقافة التعاطف ، والحفاظ على روح الإحسان ،

والضیافة ، والأخوة التي یرمز إلیھا عید الفطر.

"كم عدد الأشخاص الذین سأقولھم في نیجیریا أنھ یوجد شخصان فقط لدیھما

حكومات محلیة أكثر مني من أصل ١٠٩ ، وھما السناتور جایا والسناتور باراو. "سن. كبیر جایا من كانو لدیھ

١٦ حكومة محلیة ، والسناتور جیبرین باراو لدیھ ١٤ حكومة محلیة

وأنا ١٣ حكومة محلیة ".

وقال "الانفصال لا یجلب السلام بل الحرب داخل الحرب". وأضاف

النائب ، الذي أعرب عن دعمھ القوي لإعادة الھیكلة ، أن نیجیریا أفضل لا یمكن أن تتحقق في جو من العنف أو

الحرب.

نائبتي في لجنتنا لدیھا حكومتان محلیتان فقط من بایلسا. وأنت تقول إنھ لا ینبغي إعادة الھیكلة. فاز في انتخابھ بأغلبیة ٢٣٠٠ صوت وكان مجموع

الأصوات المدلى بھا أقل من ١٠٠٠٠ صوت.

وقال بخاري إن ھناك حاجة لأن یتبنى النیجیریون إعادة الھیكلة ، قائلا إن

الناس یمكنھم الحوار دون أن یكونوا عنیفین. دعني أعطیك مثالا ، أنا

عضو في مجلس الشیوخ ؛ لدي ١٣ حكومة محلیة.

یقول السناتور عبد الفتاح بخاري (أویو الشمالیة إي بي سي) إن نیجیریا

بحاجة إلى إعادة الھیكلة لحل عدد لا یحصى من المشاكل ، ولیس

الانفصال. قال بخاري الذي كشف ھذا

للصحافیین في إبادان یوم الأربعاء إن الانفصال لن یؤدي إلا إلى "حرب

داخل حرب". ذكرت الجزیرة نیجیریا أن بخاري ھو رئیس لجنة مجلس

الشیوخ للنقل البري. "أنا لا أؤمن بالانفصال، إعادة

الھیكلة ، أنا أؤمن بھا كثیرا. "رئاسة الیوروبا أنا ١٠٠ في المائة ، وأؤمن

بما یسمى بالتناوب ، إنھ مجرد عدالة. "إذا قلت أن الدیمقراطیة ھي لعبة

أرقام ، فأنا أوافقك الرأي ، ولكن ھناك ما یسمى الوضع في المكان المناسب

والمكان الذي تجد نفسك فیھ.

حصل أوندو و أوشون على ٤ ملیارات نایرا لكل منھما. لذا ، ھناك

حاجة لإعادة الھیكلة. "لكن ھذه لیست الطریقة التي نتبعھا ؛ لیس بالقوة. نحن

بحاجة للتحدث مع بعضنا البعض. نحن بحاجة إلى التحدث إلى الناس

بالحقائق ".

أتذكر عندما كنا في الجامعة في الثمانینیات وقالوا إذا كنت تحمل مخدرات ، كوكایین ، فسوف یتم

إطلاق النار علیك. "وأتذكر بیث نوم وأوجو أولوج ، تم القبض على الاثنین

وتم إطلاق النار علیھما ، وتوقف النیجیریون.

وكرر دعوتھ للإرھابیین والخاطفین بقضاء عقوبة الإعدام ، قائلا إنھا الطریقة الوحیدة لوقف ھذا العمل

الغادر. وقال النائب إن الاختطاف من أجل الحصول على فدیة اتخذ اتجاھا

تجاریا قبیحا في البلاد ، قائلا إنھ لن یتوقف دون عقاب خطیر.

كما استشھد المشرع بمثال على رد أموال نادي باریس حیث حصلت بعض الولایات على ١٠ أضعاف

المبلغ الممنوح لبعض الولایات الأخرى. "أنا عضو في لجنة معینة تقوم باسترداد أموال نادي باریس ،

وحصلت ریفرز على ٤٥ ملیار نایرا ؛ حصل بایلسا على ٤٣ ملیار ن.

وقال: "في اللحظة التي تعرف فیھا أنك خاطف وتعلم أن عقوبة الإعدام

ھي التي ستحل المشكلة ، ستتوقف". وعبر عن أسفھ للأوضاع الأمنیة في البلاد ، ودعا الحكومة الاتحادیة إلى تكثیف الجھود لمعالجة ھذا الوضع.

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May 17 – May 23, 2021




Gwamnan Jihar Sakkwato Aminu Tambuwal, ya yi kira ga ‘yan Nijeriya da su inganta tarbiyya da qaunar juna, domin koyi da magabata, da suka haxa mutunta juna, girmama juna, wanda hakan shi ke nuni da koyi da abin da ake koya dangane da Idin Qaramar Sallah.

Tambuwal ya yi wannan ya yi wannan kira a ranar bikin Sallah a jihar ranar Alhamis.

Gwamnan ya ce, wannan ya zaman tilas musamman a wannan halin da qasa ke ciki.

“Zartar da hakan na nuni da irin abubuwan da aka koya yayin da ake gudanar da Azumin Ramadan, za mu iya yin hakan a duba da yadda qalubalen rashin tsaro ke fuskanta.”

“A Jihar Sakkwato bamu da hutun dangane da qalubalen tsaro

Farfesa Lukman Azeez na dashen koyon aikin jarida a Jami’ar Ilorin, ya roqi a qaddamar da Wani albashi na musamman ga jarida a faxin qasar nan.

Azeez ya yi wannan roqo a Ilorin a wata hora da ya yi da manema labarai a taron da aka gudanar na Ranar ‘Yancin Yaridu Ta Duniya.

Ya ce albashin na musamman zai taimaka musu wajen rage musu wahalhalu da sauke wasu nauye-nauye.

Ya bayyana cewa, idan har a wasu ayyukan za dinga albashi me zai hana a riqa ba wa ‘yan jarida alawus.

Kazalika Azeez ya yi kira ga masu ruwa da tsaki da su miqa wannan lamarin ga Majalisar Wakilai ta Qasa don ganin an shigar da wannan tsari na sanyawa ‘yan jarida Wani alawus na musamman domin faxaxa ayyukansu da kuma qara Fito da

martabar aikin jarida a faxin qasar nan.

Ya bayyana kansa a matsayin dan jarida wanda haqoqinsu ya rataya a wuyansa yana mai cewa, ‘yan jarida suna aikin da sadaukar da rayuwarsu, ta hanyar bayar sahihan rahotanni kan ayyukan ta’addanci da sauran manyan laifuka ba tare da Wani tabbacin na idan sun rasa rayukansu za a kula da xawainiyar iyalansu ba.

Masani kan harkar jaridar, duk da haka ya shawarci ‘yan jaridaun da su yi tsayin daka kan aikinsu wajen tabbatar da sun doka da qa’idar aikinsu na gaski da kuma bin dokar Gwamnatin Tarayya Nijeriya.

Baya ga haka, ya shawarci ‘yan jaridaun Nijeriya a ko da yaushe su tabbatar da kariyarsu ta ta’allaqa kan abin da Suke gudanarwa.

Azeez ya gode wa irin kyakkyawan tsari aikin jarida qoqarin taimaka

a gina qasa da ciyar da ita gaba ta fuskar kyautata tsaro.

Ya ce duk da qalubale da suke fuskanta na rashin tabbas a rayuwarsu, sun himmatu wajen yi wa qasa aiki kan bayar da rahotanni ba dare ba rana domin ciyar da qasar gaba don samar da zaman lafiya.

“Wannan wani mawucin lokaci ne da ‘yan jarida ke ciki, saboda tsammani su riqa ba da sahihan bayanai kan lamarin da ya shafi tsaro, wanda jama’a za su sani, a inda za su da kuma inda Suke domin tsare kansu,” in ji shi.

Ya bayyana cewa a saboda qoqarin idar da ayyukansu ne waxansu ke afkawa cikin haxari, da hakan ke sanya su dawwama cikin raunuka.

Malamin ya qara da cewa, wannan zamani da masu satar mutane ke cin karen su ba babbaka ‘yan jarida ne suka fi kusa da afka hannun miyagu.

Ranar ‘Yancin ‘Yan Jaridu Ta Duniya: A Ba Wa ‘Yan Jarida Albashi Na Musamman- In Ji Malamin Jami’a

Sallah: Gwamna Tambuwal Ya Buqaci ‘Yan Nijeriya Kyautata Tarbiyya Da Qaunar Juna

da muke fuskanta, dole mu yi tsayin daka wajen tabbatar da tunanin yadda za mu shawo kan lamarin, ta yadda rayuwar mutanenmu za ta inganta.”

“Gwamnatinmu na tabbatar da bin diddgi domin bin hanyoyin da zamu samar zaman lafiya ga mutane.

“Wannan dalili na daga cikin ayyukan da muka tsara da za mu baza a cikin jiharmu,” in ji shi.

Gwamnan ya ce Wannan Babban al’amari ne da za mu mayar da Jihar Sakkwato mai girma, wanda hakan bai yaxu kwatsam a Nijeriya ba.

“Babu gami, mun bayar da cikakken goyon baya ga hukumomin tsaro; da kuma mun haxa gwiwa da Gwamnatin Tarayya, ba za mu bari a ci gaba da asarar

rayukan al’umma da dukiyoyinsu ba.

“Bugu da qarfi, yanayin da duniya ke ciki zai qare yawaitar qalubale, yayin da ya zamto shugabanin addinai da sauran al’umma ba su ba da cikakken goyon baya ba sun tsaya kan lamarin ba.”

Ya yi kiran jama’a da su ba wa hukumomi goyon bays tare da ci gaba da yin addu’ar samun zaman lafiya ga qasa.

“A ci gaba da haquri gami da haxa hannu wuri guda domim yaqi da rashin tsaro, ‘yan bidiga, da sauran miyagun ayyukan da ke addabar rayuwarmu.

“Bari na yi roqo na musamman ga ‘yan qasa masu Amfani sa wannan ta rashin tsaro su suna xaukar doka a hannunsu.

Dawakan da ke yiwa wasu manyan mutane kwalliya a lokacin bikin Eid-el-Fitr a Zariya, Jihar Kaduna ranar Alhamis, 13 ga Afrilu.. HOTO: BJO/NAN

Sanata Abdulfatai Buhari na jam’iyyar APC- Oyo ta Arewa, ya ce a halin yanzu Garambawul take buqata domin shawo kan matsaloli ta amma ba rabuwa kamar yadda wasu ke tunani ba.

Buhari wanda ya bayyana haka ga ‘yan jarida ranar Laraba a Ibada, ya ce babu abin da Raba Nijeriya zai janyo illa “yaqi cikin yaqi.”

AljazirahNigeria ta ruwaito cewa Buhari shi ne Shugaban Kwamatin filaye da Sufuri a Malisar Dattawa.

“Na yi imani da lallai Garambawul shi ne abin da zai kawo daidaito a qasarmu.” “Fadar Gwamnatin Yoruba, ina goyon bayar xari bisa xari da abin da ake kira karva-karva, yin hakan kuma ba zai zama abin tsoro ba.

“Idan ka ce wasa ne, na yarda, amma akwai wani abu da ake kira yanayi na ‘yanci wurin zama wanda ya danganta da inda ka tsinci kanka.

“Raba qasa ba zai tava kawo zaman lafiya ba sai dai ya wanzar da yaqi kan wani Yaqin,” in ji shi.

Xan Majalisar ya jaddada goyon bayansa ga kan yi wa qasa, ya qara da cewa, wannan mani’imciyar qasar Nijeriya ba za ta dace da yaqi ko Wani abu da ya yi kama da tashin hankali ba, sam wannan ba zai tava haifar da xa mai ido ba.

Buhari ya ce akwai buqatar ‘yan Nijeriya su rungumi al’amari yi wa qasa garambawul, yana mai cewa mutane za su zaman tattaunawa ba tare da an samu tashin hankali ba.

“Bari na buga misali, Ni Xan Majalisar Dattawa ne da nake wakiltar qananan hukumomin 13. Mataimakina tana yana wakiltar qananan hukumomi biyu kacal da Bayelsa.I am a Senator; I have 13 local.

“Sannan ana cewa ba za mu iya yin garambawul ba. Shi ya lashe zavensa da quri’u 2,300 sannan jimillar quri’un gaba xaya basu gaza 10,000 ba.

“Mutum nawa zan faxa wa Nijeriya cewa mutum biyu ne kawai a qaramar Hukumar a cikin 109, wancan Sanata Gaya da Sanata Barau.

“Sanata Kabir Gaya daga Kano yana da qananan hukumomi 16, Sanata Jibrin Barau yana da qananan hukumomi 14 ni kaina ina da qananan hukumomi 13,’’ in ji shi.

Haka zalika, Sanatan ya ba da misali da akan kuxin Paris Club da wasu Jihohi suka karva har sau 10 aka raba ga wasu.

“Ina mamba a wani kwamiti na daban na yi bincike kan kuxin Paris Club Jihar Ribas ta samu Naira biliyan 45 ; Bayelsa ta samu Naira biliyan 43; Ondo da Osun sun Naira biliyan 4 ko wacce.

To don haka akwai buqatar garambawul, “Ba wai hanya ce da za a ce min shige ta kai tsaye ba, ba kuma abu ne da za a yi shi kan tilas ba, ya kamata mu tattauna da juna kan gaskiya,” in ji shi.

Nijeriya Garambawul Take Buqata Ba Rabuwa Ba – Sanata- BuhariMa’aikatar Cigaban Matasa

da Wasanni ta Qasa, ta bayan yunqurinta na tabbatar da samun nasarar ciwo sarqar zinare ga ‘yan wasan Nijeriya da za su wakilci qasar a gasar Olamfic da za a gudanar a Tokyo.

A cewar wata sanarwa da ke nuni da hakan wacce Babban sakataren Ma’aikatar Nebeolisa Anako ya fitar a ranar Alhamis, matakin qarshe na bayar da horo a sansanin zai fara ne a ranar 15 ga Mayu zuwa 6 ga Yuli a Bayelsa, Abuja, Legas, da kuma Fatakwal.

Karvar horar da zagaye da kiyaye na Olamfic na qasa, za’a fara tsakanin 17 ga Yuni da kuma ga 19 Yuli, yayin da za a daura gudanar da gasar cin guje-guje ta Afiirka a ranar 22 zuwa 26 ga Yuni.

Zubin qarshe na sansanin zai kasance a Kisarazu, Japan, daga ranar 3 zuwa 23 ga Yuli, yayin da zubin farko na gasar tsere zai zama daidai da na shiga qauyuka.

Nijeriya za ta gabatar da yan wasan gudu 80 a nau’kan wasanni nau’i 10 a gasar Olympic Tokyo .

Gwanatin Jihar Kano da haxin Gwiwar GidauniyarThe Kano Al-Basar Foundation da Mamma Eye Specialist Hospital, Kano, ta fara Gwajin aikin ido na mutum 600 a faxin kyauta a faxin jihar.

Babban Sakatare a Hukumar Lafiya Matakin Farko, Dakta Tijjani Hussain, shi ya bayyana haka ranar Talata yayain qaddamar da shirin yankin Qaramar Hukumar Tsanyawa dake Jihar.

Hussain, wanda ya ce shirin zai xore shekara-shekara, tana mai bayyana cewa sama da mutum 6,000 aka tsamo daga qananan hukumomin 12 da ake tsammanin za su fara cin gajiyar shirin kyauta.

Da yake qarin haske a yayin gudunar da shirin, Jami’in gudanarwa na Hukumar Lafiya a Matakin Farko, Kamilu Saleh, ya ce shirin zai samar da yin aikin idk kyauta ga masu larurar ido qari a kan gwaji.

Ya ce a qalla mutum 180 ne za su ci gajiyar aikin ido qaru a kan Mutum 110 a Qaramar Hukumar Tsanyawa kyauta.

Hakimin Tsanyawa, Alhaji Dayyabu Aliyu, ya qara yunqurin wannan gwamnati mai ci a wannan aikin cikin Jihar ya ta’allaqa ne wajen damar da inganccen aikin aiki kan vangaren lafiya ga al’umma.

Tokyo Olympics: An Buxe Sansanin Horar Da ‘Yan Qasan Nijeriya Qasa A Japan 3 Ga Yuli

Gwamnatin Kano Ta Fara Gwajin Aikin Ido Na Mutum 6,000 Kyauta

news in hausa e-mail: [email protected]


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busin

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Members of the Rotary Club of Apo, FCT, during the inauguration of Horticultural Garden, as part of the projects to sustain the environment in Abuja on Saturday, May 15. PHOTO: ANTHONY ALABI/NAN.

May 17 – May 23, 2021




NNPC, DPR Faceoff Deepens Over Returned-Revoked OilfieldsBY CYRIL OGAR,

Days before the restoration of four oil mining licenses to Addax Petroleum, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) launched a blistering tackle on its sister agency, Department of Petroleum Resources, with a strong appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to reverse DPR’s revocation of the OMLs and reject a reallocation to another company.

The NNPC in a letter to the president on April 20 argued that the revocation of the oilfields would have implications on the Nigerian economy and the diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and China. Addax is owned by Sinopec, a state-owned Chinese firm, the nine-page memo seen by our correspondent shows.

Three days after the letter was sent, the president overruled the revocation by the DPR, and cancelled the reallocation of OMLs 123, 124, 126, and 137 to Kaztec Engineering Limited/Salvic Petroleum Consortium, a firm DPR picked as a replacement.

The clash is the latest example of how government agencies often appear to work at cross purposes and succeed in having the president do their bidding. AljazirahNigeria had reported how the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Usman, repeatedly faced off over the award of contracts, and Mr Amaechi at least once directed a procurement process be suspended in favour of an incumbent contractor

In revoking the four OMLs, the DPR cited Addax’s inability to comply with agreed targets. Addax has a production sharing contract with the NNPC. A panel set up by the Ministry of Petroleum to review the case concluded that Addax had caused the country significant losses in revenue and jobs.

The committee led by a former

senator, Magnus Abe, said $1 billion had been invested in the contract but Addax Petroleum called it off over an issue that was unrelated to the project. The action put over 3000 Nigerians out of work, the committee said.

The presidency’s statement, signed by spokesperson Garba Shehu, said: “President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the restoration of the leases on OMLs 123, 124, 126 and 137 to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC which is in production sharing contract with Addax Petroleum, a company wholly owned by Government of the People’s Republic of China on the blocks. The leases belonging to the Federation

were revoked on March 30, 2021”.“While directing the Department of

Petroleum Resources, DPR to retract the letter of revocation of the leases, the President also directed NNPC to utilize contractual provisions to resolve issues in line with the extant provisions of the Production Sharing Contract arrangement between NNPC and Addax”, it said.

NNPC COUNTERS DPRThe NNPC warned the president that the revocation, if unresolved, will create an unprecedented level of contingent liability of well over US$1 billion for NNPC as the party in contract with Addax, reputational damage to the country with possible dire unintended diplomatic consequences.

The NNPC faulted the DPR for revoking the oilfields saying it is the petroleum minister who has the power to revoke leases. If defended Addax, saying “Addax has not been investing in capital projects, development drilling, and exploration activities due to disputes on applicable fiscal terms on its blocks”.

“It is within the right of the Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources (HMPR) to revoke Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) as provided in Paragraph 25 (1) of the First Schedule of the Petroleum Act. It is clear that

the procedures as stipulated by the Petroleum Act to revoke the lease of a lessee were not duly followed in this case and this portends several legal, commercial, and diplomatic implications,” it said.

“The provisions of the Act stipulate that revocation of a Lease is against the Lessee (on fulfilling revocation conditions) and clearly the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) erred by processing the revocation against Addax (a PSC Contractor) instead of NNPC (the Lessee).

Addax has already written to DPR expressing their intention to exercise their right to challenge the revocation using all government, diplomatic and legal means to seek redress and achieve satisfaction”.

IMPLICATIONSThe NNPC argued that the ability of NNPC and the newly appointed contractor to partner and properly utilise the assets may be severely hampered if Addax goes ahead with its threat to legally challenge the revocation process.

It said the immediate implication of the revocation and reallocation of the OMLS is that NNPC (as the actual Concessionaire/Lessee) is no longer associated in any way with OML 137 as it is now awarded to new allottees as a Sole Risk Block.

“Based on DPR’s letter, there is no valid PSC in place between NNPC and the newly appointed contractor parties and as such, there is currently no contractual basis for any sort of interaction between NNPC and the Kaztec Engineering Limited/Salvic Petroleum Resources Limited (KEL/Salvic) Consortium”, it said.

“In addition to possible resort to legal contest, Addax could still have grounds to make claims in respect of cost recovery of outstanding expenditure or consequential losses such as profit against NNPC and thus indirectly the Government”.

...their right to challenge the revocation using all government, diplomatic and legal means to seek redress and achieve satisfaction.

“

Kyari Auwalu

business & economy May 17 – May 23, 202122 www.aljazirahnews.com



BY DICKSON PAT

The Nigerian Agip Oil Company has confirmed an oil leak from its Idu oilfields at Egbebiri settlement within Biseni in Yenagoa Local Government Area, resulting in its shutdown. The firm disclosed this on Wednesday.

The cause of the leakage, according to a Joint Investigative Visit (JIV) report on the incident, is equipment failure due to a rupture at the wellhead.

In a response statement, Eni, the parent company of NAOC, said it shut down the facility to prevent further damage to the environment.

As soon as the incident was reported, we activated our oil spill response, shut in the well, and notified government regulatory agencies.

The Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) was carried out on 09/05/2021, with the participation of community representatives and the government regulatory agencies.

The event occurred within the Company’s wellhead location, which is paved and walled round. There is no significant third-party impact”, Eni stated.

However, an environmental rights group, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, said the incident which discharged crude and associated gas had severely polluted the environment.

The group added that a visit to the spill site showed evidence of the crude oil spreading beyond NAOC’s right of way as nearby vegetation withered.

According to a field report on the spill signed by Alagoa Morris, Head of Field Operations at ERA/FoEN, the Idu fields were notorious for frequent spills caused by equipment failure.

The people of Egbebiri in the Biseni kingdom have experienced several oil spills over the years. And all the oil spill incidents documented by the Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) in this community environment have occurred as a result of equipment failure and on Wellheads.

ERA/FoEN has had cause to visit the environment of Idu Well 5 and 11 located within the same place in the past, and it has always been Idu Well 11 spewing crude oil into the environment”, stated the group’s report.

AGIP Shuts Down Bayelsa Oil Well Amid Spill

BY MARIAM SANNI

Nigerian banks have reduced the amount of United States dollars customers can pay into their domiciliary accounts from the previous $10,000 to $5,000 monthly.

A top bank official who craved anonymity confirmed the new policy yesterday.

However, the new policy does not apply to customers making electronic transfers as well as oil and gas companies and dollar payments into government accounts.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directive is to discourage the strong appetite for the greenback, which has continued to rise.

A report had revealed that about 40 percent of bank deposits in the top 10 banks in the country were in dollars.

BY MARIAM SANNI

The Debt Management Office on Tuesday disclosed that the Federal Government would offer N150bn bonds for subscription in May.

A circular by the DMO on its website showed that the breakdown of bonds comprised three bonds worth N50bn each.

They are 10-year reopening bond to be offered at the rate of 16.2884 per cent and to mature in March 2027; a 15- year reopening bond to be

BY CHARLES EBI

The Ship-owners Association of Nigeria (SOAN) has said that $100 million is lost to capital flight as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) recently contracted coastal and bunkering vessel services to a foreign shipping company, Messrs UNIBROS.

In a petition to the National Assembly and the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mele Kyari, the group said UNIBROS operates under the guise of various foreign shell companies with 11 foreign-flagged coastal tanker vessels. The petition was signed by the President of SOAN, Dr.

Nigeria Losses $100m As NNPC Awards Bunkering Service To Foreigners – SOAN

Banks Slash Dollar-cash Deposits To $5,000 Monthly

Fed Govt To Auction N150bn Bonds In May

BY MARIAM SANNI

The National Pension Commission has announced that only 15,418 organisations out of over 3.1 million registered companies in the country can do business with the federal government.

The list was posted on PenCom website titled ‘schedule of employers issued with certificate of compliance with provisions of the PRA 2014 as at 10 May, 2021’ and obtained by Ripples Nigeria on Thursday.

With the clearance, the listed organizations can now bid for contract in Ministries, Departments and Agencies for 2021.

According to the National Pension Act’s laws the qualified organizations with at least three employees have passed the minimum requirement of opening a pension account and life insurance cover for their employees.

PenCom had last year in its compliance guidelines for life insurance policy for employees and submission of insurance certificates issued to employers stated that companies that had no insurance covers for their workers would no longer be allowed to do any government business.

It noted that the regulations would be in addition to ensuring that the companies had appropriate pension accounts for the workers.

PenCom’s in its warning to employers cited Pension Reform Act 2014 Section 4(5) and Section 5.5 of the guidelines for life insurance policy for employees.

“Suppliers, contractors or consultants bidding or soliciting for contract or business from any Federal Government ministries, departments and agencies, must fully comply with the provisions of the law and will now issue annual pension clearance certificate to eligible organizations,” and MDA are reminded to ensure that only pension clearance certificates issued by the commission are accepted as evidence of compliance with the Pension Reform Act 2014”, PenCom noted.

You will recall that Ripples Nigeria had earlier reported only 9.2 million working Nigerians have a pension account out of 46.6 million employed population.

PenCom Releases Companies Qualified For Govt Contract

Head of Research at Coronation Asset Management, Mr. Guy Czartoryski, had in the report said: “We looked at the top 10 banks and the breakdown of their deposits showed that 40 per cent of their deposits are in dollars and it is quite astonishing”.

The CBN has in recent times been designing policies to encourage further inflows of foreign currencies into the Nigerian economy.

Some of the measures introduced recently included the granting of unfettered access to Forex from Diaspora and other money transfer remittances as well as the “CBN Naira 4 Dollar Scheme”.

The central bank had explained that the policies were part of efforts to liberalise, simplify and

offered at 12.5 per cent and mature in March 2035; and a 30-year reopening bond to be offered at 14.8 per cent and mature in April 2045.

According to the DMO, the bonds which will be auctioned on May 19, 2021, have a settlement date of May 21, 2021.

The DMO had earlier disclosed that Federal Government’s bonds offered for the month of April worth N60bn were oversubscribed by N215.67bn.

The total subscription received from investors for the bonds was N275.67bn,

improve the receipt and administration of Diaspora remittances into Nigeria.

CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, had said reforms to increase diaspora remittances into the country would support the economy and help reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said if the country could have inflows of about $10 billion to $15 billion, this could boost the economy amidst the current fiscal constraints.

The central bank has been insisting that all diaspora remittances must go through the deposit money banks rather than mortgage or fintech institutions.

Some of the measures introduced recently included the granting of unfettered access to forex from Diaspora

comprising N49.7bn for 12.75 per cent FGN April 2023 bonds; N107.47bn for 12.5000 per cent FGN March 2035 bonds; and N118.5bn for 12.9800 per cent FGN March 2050 bonds.

The auction result showed that the total bids were 50, 65 and 85, while the successful bids were 26, 29 and 32 for the three bonds allotted.

Successful bids for the 12.7500 per cent FGN APR 2023, 12.5000 per cent FGN MAR 2035, and 12.9800 per cent FGN MAR 2050 were

and other money transfer remittances as well as the “CBN Naira 4 Dollar Scheme.”

The limitation policy by the banks, according to an analyst at ARM Securities Limited, Mr. Olamofe Olayemi, is expected to discourage the hoarding of the US dollars as well as reduce pressure in the forex market.

Speaking on the latest development on Arise News Channel yesterday, he said: “This has to do with how much confidence the people have in the naira. Over time, we have seen significant depreciation in the naira.

“If you look at what happened in 2020, no one expected that the naira would be devalued twice in that year and even the outlook, this year is suggesting further depreciation in the naira.

allotted at the marginal rates of 9.0000 per cent, 12.0000 per cent and 12.5000 per cent respectively.

Mkgeorge Onyung.The ship-owners urged

the lawmakers to carry out a thorough investigation into the contract. According to them, the action is in total breach of the Nigerian content laws, the Coastal and Inland Shipping Act (Cabotage Act) and the Presidential Executive Order No.5 and executed in exclusion of Nigerian Ship-owners and operators.

The petition read in part: “Take note that this contract award will result in amplification of capital flight, valued over $100 million annually to the detriment of our economy in addition to the fact that no customs

appropriate taxes on earnings, which foreign shipping companies have continually evaded illegally. UNIBROS and/or any other foreign shell company do not pay any tax to FIRS.

“In the area of capacity building, no seafarer training or local content strategic plan is in place in line with the NOGCID laws. Neither UNIBROS nor any foreign ship-owner or shipping company is made to comply with one of the major prequalification requirements for consideration in the coastal nor do bunkering vessels service tender process, being the submission and approval by NCDMB.”

import duty has been paid for any of the 11 vessels in question.

“Nigerian owned and flagged vessels are made to pay full customs duty and

Onyung

Oniha

polit

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President Muhammadu Buhari (right) welcoming the Head of Chadian Military Council, Gen Mahamat Idriss Deby at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Friday May, 15. PHOTO: CALLISTUS EWELIKE/NAN.

May 17 – May 23, 2021




‘PDP Urges National Assembly To Fix Electoral Loopholes’

weaknesses, structural defects and loopholes in our electoral system, which have caused more damage during and after elections. But, we must engage the Federal Government, National Assembly and INEC to do the right things now.

“Any system or structure that favours a microcosm of people against the well-being and welfare of the masses must not be acceptable and a new pro-people structure, system, laws and policies should be instituted”.

Doherty said the worst mistake people could make was to choose the wrong persons to occupy the seats of power and decide their fate. He noted that prior to 2015, Nigerians were not gnashing their teeth thus bad, but now, the level of poverty in the land has reached a crescendo.


The Lagos State Chairman of Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Deji Doherty, has urged the Federal Government, the National Assembly and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to stop the electoral flaws, systemic weaknesses and structural defects in the nation’s electoral processes.

He stated this at a town hall meeting, following the call by well-meaning Nigerians to the president to assent the 2020 Electoral Amendment Bill. He said the bill would engender “generally acceptable free and fair elections”.

Doherty said many people have been victims of these anomalies in the electoral system.

He said: “There are so many electoral flaws, systemic

He added: “It is good for people to make choices, then compare and contrast and make wiser decisions as it’s obvious today in the country. Nigerians have tested the PDP regime and this administration, now they can say without mincing words the difference between light and darkness”.

The party chairman said the

future of young people is not only bleak, but hopeless, given the glaring hostile socio-economic environment where businesses and corporate organisations are regrettably winding down.

The chairman urged the Federal Government, the National Assembly and the INEC to fix every loophole in the electoral system to avoid damage to democracy.

He decried the level of socio-economic unrest in the country and the influx of young people into Lagos State, adding: “Our Northern governors must fix their region and make it habitable for people to live comfortably and do their businesses. Lagos is getting too much populated, making life miserable, especially the traffic congestion and other structural defects’’.

Doherty

Aziegbemi Obaseki


The Edo state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is poised for a confrontation with the state governor, Godwin Obaseki over his purported plan to dissolve the party executive at all levels in the state.

Obaseki had on May 8, hosted a meeting of state party leaders at the government house with the agenda of a proposed dissolution of PDP Executives at all levels.

Following the proposal, the state party chairman, Dr Tony Aziegbemi, and state party Secretary, Mr Hillary Otsu, wrote a letter on behalf of the elected officials to the National body of the party.

It was gathered that in the letter, the expanded state working committee of the party rejected the proposal by Obaseki to dissolve “a legitimately elected executive”.

...Party In Disarray As Obaseki’s Moves Raises Concerns

The letter reads in part: “The expanded State Working Committee and Local Government chairmen of the Edo State PDP reject in its entirety, the proposal by the above mentioned meeting

at ambushing our State Chairman, who is constitutionally empowered to call such a meeting’’.

The party executives noted that only three old PDP members: Dr Raymond Dokpesi, Chief Tom Ikimi and Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, were in attendance as against 10 members from the Obaseki’s team that decamped from the APC to PDP.

“We hereby reiterate to the National Executive Committee of our party that the issue of dissolution of executive committees in Edo State is subjudice and it will be an act of contempt of court to revisit it by the party.

“The genesis of this looming crisis results from the acquiescence of the National Working Committee members who negotiated Obaseki’s movement to the PDP’’.

to dissolve the legitimately elected executive committee members of the PDP at the Ward, Local Government and State levels.

“We also condemn totally, the convening of such a meeting aimed


In what appears as theatre of the absurd, the hitherto relatively quiet southeast geo-political zone has become enmeshed in devastating crises of dreadful proportion.

The zone has witnessed unprecedented attacks on police formations in the last few months. From Ebonyi to Enugu, Abia, Imo, and Anambra, there is no state that is spared of these horrendous attacks in the region. Not only have police properties been destroyed, but arms and ammunition were also looted, while unfortunately, some police officers have paid the ultimate price in the process.

What started as a child’s play on January 8, 2021, when the police formation in Onueke in Ezza South Local Government Area of Ebonyi was attacked by unknown assailants, the surreptitious manner other attacks were carried out brings to question the centralized policing that Nigeria currently practices has outlived its usefulness. That attack on January 8 led to the death of three police officers.

On February 1, 2021, a police officer attached to Omoba Police Station in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia State was not that lucky when that station was set ablaze. On February 4, the Police Divisional Headquarters in Isu, Onicha Local Government Area was razed down. But while no one died in that incident, attacks on police formations on February 5 and 23, located in Umulowo, Obowo Local Government Area of Imo State and the Abayi Divisional Police Headquarters in Abia State led to the death of four officers. They struck again between March and April 6, 2021, and the attackers left no one in doubt about their savagery.

In an era where governments’ revenues are drying up, it is certain that the repair of the affected police posts may not be of paramount interest to either states or

Federal Government now. This many have argued may further worsen the security situation in the region.

The mode of operations of these attackers reminds us of the early campaigns of Boko Haram, a group that has become a monster whose imprints Nigerian authorities have not been able to erase.

The sudden spike in attacks on police formations in the zone will affect the rising economic activities in the zone many analysts have stressed. What exactly are the motives of the attackers and their sponsors? Insurgent groups always claim responsibility for attacks carried out by them.

However, in the case of South East, no group has claimed responsibility for these attacks. That is why the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) have been having a herculean task in taming this monster.

There was a report that the police in some states in the region now go out in mufti. This may provide a short-term solution to their safety, but the system cannot be sustained for long.

One of the ways this ugly event could be addressed is for the Nigerian security personnel to liaise with the people of the zone for local intelligence gathering.

Many have called on the Federal Government to shown a better disposition to solving regional conflicts even as the utterances coming from government aides does not suggest otherwise. Stakeholders have called for a quick fix so as to deescalate the crises before it snowballs into unmanageable proportion.

Security experts have urged the government to do the needful by summoning notable people of the area- politicians, traditional rulers, and civil society groups to

specific brainstorming session to

South East: Latest Hotbed Of Discord

Ikpeazu Obiano

Uguanyi

Umahi

Uzodinma

politics & policy e-mail: [email protected]


@aljazirahnewsng






uncover deal with the matter as you can not deal with the issue in isolation of its critical stakeholders, it has been advised.

To worsen the state of anarchy in recent times, separatist movements in the South East geopolitical zone have stepped-up struggles for the actualization of the sovereign state of Biafra through protests and other forms of social mobilization. The protests have triggered tension and heightened insecurity, with attacks on police formations.

Though some of the attackers have officially claimed responsibility, it is believed it is believed they are working for separatist groups. For instance, gunmen kill 2 officers in attack on police station in Obosi in Anambra State recently even as they aide detainees escape from cells, set fire to Obosi police station in south-central Anambra state.

The gunmen, heavily armed surpassed the fire power of the police officers, carted away everything in their armoury in the Obosi incident. police station in the Idemili North local government of the state and also set fire to the police station after letting the detainees flee.

The spokesperson for the Anambra state police, Ikenga Tochukwu, said the two officers were killed during a shootout with the gunmen.

A curfew was declared in the state last month due to increased armed attacks.

There have recently been several attacks on police stations, especially in south-eastern states, where at least 14 police officers lost their lives from April 19 to May 1, while some others were wounded.

Southern –eastern states occasionally face such attacks, which was believed to be mainly carried out by members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a movement that seeks to carve out a separate homeland for the country’s ethnic Igbo population.

Another unclear dimension to these reign of terror in the southeast are unverified allegations that some herdsmen were hired as mercenaries to fight on behalf of warring factions, thus further making it difficult isolate the issues as they happen. This was alleged in a communal clash between two warring factions in Ebonyi State.

Imo State is perhaps the worst hit in this resurgence of attacks in the nation, a dimension yet to be seen in the region as the self-stlyed Eastern Security Network, ESN has been confronting security agencies in incessant gun duel.

These escalated, leading to the death of several agents of government even as many government departments lost their properties in the pogrom that ensued. The Correctional Centre in the State capital Owerri was torched after all inmates were set free. Also the Police Headquarters in the state was razed, leaving other unquantifiable damage to individual properties.

At the crises lingered, the State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma lost his country home and a good number of exotic cars to yet to be identified attackers who left trail of blood behind as many policemen were believed to have been killed in the process.

With the deteriorating situation, the Federal Government has sent several troops and a concentration of other security agencies to the parts of the south east to contain the rising conflagrations.

BY JOEL AJAYI

Widespread hunger, food hike, among others added up to the string of woes of many Nigerians, as the country joined the rest of the world to celebrate the 2021 Eid-el-Fitr.

Before now, for many, hunger has become a daily reality because of the insecurity, banditry, poverty, killings, kidnapping that have characterized the length and breadth of the country.

The campaign of the media, one of which is AljazirahNigeria, on many instances have raised the alarm on the rise in food prices, food shortages in the country even as little or nothing is done to avert the situation.

Recently, many farmers are complaining that insecurity, fear of death or being kidnapped on their farms has made them run for their lives.

Millions of Nigerians are being driven to devastating levels of food insecurity by a combination of factors they have no control over. For a large population they are at risk. Disruptions to food value chains, leading to higher food prices, reduced availability of and access to food, is life-threatening, coupled with the lack of poor purchasing power.

Rising food prices could not come at a worse time. It feels like a hunger pandemic has commenced with many experiencing it.

Today, the effect of the food crisis was witnessed during the just concluded Eid-el-Fitri celebration in the Federal Capital Territory where it used to be sumptuous, lavish, extravagant, and plenteous.

Though the atmosphere was calm, peaceful in FCT and its environs on Sallah day as Muslims faithful celebrate after the Ramadan fasting, it was palpable that it was an unprecedented low-key celebration.

Armed policemen were also seen at strategic points around the city, at major street junctions and other locations had patrolling policemen to forestall any breach of the peace during the celebration.

The Eid el-Fitr is a single day celebration during which Muslims are not permitted to fast, the holiday celebrates the conclusion of the 29 or 30

days of dawn-to-sunset, Ramadan fasting.However, the day of the Eid el-Fitr, therefore,

falls on the first day of the month of Shawwal. The date for the start of any lunar Hijri month varies based on the observation of the new moon by Islamic authorities.

AljazirahNigeria who visited some parts of the city, reports that security was tight at the various mosques in the FCT, but the usual exchange of visitations, shared foods, and other gift items were not as evident as in the past celebrations.

Unlike previous Eid-el-Fitr when food, both cooked and raw, were shared as the less privileged smile to the largesse, but this year due to insecurity, food scarcity and poverty that have blighted the nation, the story is different. These issues have turned the hand of the clock backward.

AljazirahNigeria felt the pulse of the city and concludes that the fanfare and plenty associated with such festivities was not seen or felt as the celebration was characterized with undeniable hunger and starvation.

The persuasive need for Nigerians to show love to one another, eschew bigotry, ethnic rivalry and pray for the country to realize

her potentials were equally not as potent as in the past perhaps because of the mood of the times.

Many benefactors and beneficiaries on an occasion like Eid-el-Fitr interviewed by AljazirahNigeria expressed that they can no longer afford to feed people the way they used to in previous years as a result of the prices of basic food items which doubled in the past few months and their source of income which is diminished, while receivers hope of getting plenty during the celebration was dashed.

The markets witnessed low turnout; few people who have purchasing power were seen buying essential items.

Fun seekers received the shocker of their lives as recreational parks, social gathering were banned by the FCT Administration based on presentations made by officials of the Health and Human Services Secretariat of the FCTA and the Implementation Guidelines for Phased Restriction of Movement issued by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 on Monday, May 10, 2021.

The part of the statement read thus: “That all other Eid celebrations and activities should be confined to homes as all public parks, recreation, and entertainment centers are to be closed.

Though on his, Eid-el-Fitr message to residents of the FCT, the Minister, FCT Malam Muhammad Musa Bello who charged residents to reach out to the less privileged members of the society regardless of ethnicity or religion in the spirit of oneness and caring for one another did attract much adherence as some of the residents were now asking the minister that; “Is it’s when you have that you reach out to people?

Speaking to AljazirahNigeria, Alhaja Maimuna Usman, a mother of four who normally reaches out to the poor in previous celebrations said: “I have been celebrating Sallah, it has not been as worse as this; the economic situation in the land is not friendly at all. We just managed to do the ones we have done. This is the time I do extend my hands to the less privileged through

my small charity work, but this year I was not able to settle my home, talk more of extending to the needy. I just thank God for the gift of life, foodstuff is on the high side, we can’t afford it, I want to use this medium to appeal to the government at all levels to find a lasting solution to this, I am not happy”. She said.

As for Idris Gambo who resides in the Gudu area of the city, he lamented: “Is it not when you have eaten or have enough that you can give to others? The economic situation in the country is too harsh, even feeding your immediate family is now a problem. I normally share food with neighbors during festive periods like this but this one is with a different one because I couldn’t. I don’t have the money to do that”.

As for Tosin Kayode a Christian who lives in Area 11 whose hope was as well dashed as she normally receives from neighbors who are Muslims, she said; “I don’t just understand what was going on, my Muslim neighbors who use to give food during the celebration time like this could not even cook, I was expecting that at least I will get something from them but to my surprise, I couldn’t, I don’t blame them things are very hard”.

Another Muslim faithful, Dauda Abdullahi a civil servant told AljazirahNigeria, “I normally don’t like spending my Eid-el-Fitr outside my home town but this time I decided to remain here in Abuja because my people have called and warned me to remain where I was that the land is not good, meaning that there are challenges and problems”.

For Bukola Kopada, a resident of Zone 3, she said: “It is very obvious that things are biting harder. This is the first time I have seen a celebration whereby I didn’t get any food from my Muslim friends. This is totally different from what I use to know”.

On his own, a Fashion Designer name Abdul in the central area also recounts his experience; “The hardship is really much, I work over night during previous festive periods but this one even the few people that gave me materials to sew have not come for their collection due to lack of funds, we pray for God intervention”.

Low-key Eid-el-Fitr In Abuja As Economy Bites

“It is very obvious that things are biting harder. This is the first time I have seen a celebration whereby I didn’t get any food from my Muslim friends. This is totally different from what I use to know”.

“



@aljazirahnewsng


Follow us on twitterspecial feature

President Buhari (2nd right) with other dignitaries observing the 2021 Eid-el-Fitr prayers in Abuja

May 17 – May 23, 2021




Surpassing The Eccentricities Of The Rainy SeasonThe rainy season seems to have come upon us and it is one we are relishing after the hot, steamy weather for alas, a breath of fresh air.

As invigorating as this feeling might be, one setback for both the male and female gender is prepping and looking all chic while battling with the rains. There are few things worse than getting caught in the rain without notice. Hopping around in soggy socks, muddy shoes and drenched clothes can put a damper on what should have been a well-planned out day.

Wearing white shoes, trousers, blouses, shirts or dresses is a mistake that should be avoided at this time of the year. To stay on point all day looking dapper, try to pair darker colored pants with shirts or dresses. You can never go wrong with black as it shows little signs of debris. Long-sleeved outfits and lightweight sweaters in quick-to-dry materials should also be a frequent choice, especially when living in a country like Nigeria where the cloud could turn dark at the snap of a finger.

Endeavor to always have an umbrella at hand, keep in mind though that rain jackets works more magic as it helps prevent you from getting drenched in the rain or being suddenly splashed dirty water by a moving vehicle. Some are also designed to keep you warm and that’s not all. While the umbrella’s duty stops at covering you from the rain, the rain jacket offers your body and clothes protection against mud and splattered water. They usually come in variants, designs and colors and some even come with hoods to cover your lovely head.

Essential fact to not forget is avoid wearing leather shoes when it rains as it affects the longevity of the shoe. The best footwear for rainy season is rubber or any other

water-repellant footwear which will not be affected by the rain or smell when wet. Rubber shoes can be worn anywhere. And yes! They can be worn to work too, it’s therefore advisable to invest in them now.

In Nigeria, we know not everyone can afford to live in the highbrow areas due to the high cost of accommodation. Therefore, if you live in a place where puddles form whenever it rains, then you should always wear long trousers, long skirts or long gowns. Keep in mind that mosquito thrives in areas with stagnant water, thereby protection from their bites is vital. Still, when heading out and you do not want to risk getting wet or stained should you accidentally get into a puddle, opt for shorts in order to stay clean and stylish.

Tote bags come in handy during the rainy season as it can hold your necessities and even the main handbag all at once. That way, it keeps you and your property dry all the way. Sweaters are vital in keeping you warm and can be worn with a shirt or top underneath which gives one the advantage of pulling off the swearer when it gets uncomfortably warm. In the case where a sweater is unavailable, you can opt for a sweatshirt as they are fashionable and can be rocked with or without a shirt underneath.

For the ladies that want to continually look fashionable, it very necessary not to step out without a shower or cover cap as it prevents the hair from getting wet and smelly after the rains.

With these handy tips, one can never go wrong during this season and Oh! Always, always remember to check the weather forecast before stepping so you will be prepared for whatever the day hands you.

By Victoria Ochigbofashion & style



@aljazirahnewsng






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gbani Horsfall is a singer-songwriter and a gospel recording artist who hails from Rivers State, Nigeria. She is a lover of God and her music exhibits the deep love and affection

she has for Him (God).In solidarity with the #EndSARS protest

that rocked the nation recently, Rivers State born gospel artiste, Agbani Horsfall, has released a song titled One Nigeria, accompanied by a fascinating video.

According to the gospel music minister extraordinaire, the Holy Spirit inspired the track. She recalled one evening as she was surfing the net and she stumbled on a picture of an old woman with tears in her eyes; she got so emotional that she was almost in tears. So, she turned to the Lord and that was the Genesis of the song.

“One Nigeria is about issues happening in the country. The youths are going through a lot now; innocent lives are being wasted over nothing, and recently the youths are asking for a change in the #EndSARS #EndPoliceBrutality #GoodGovernance movement that claimed a lot of lives and properties. The song is a reminder to the nation that we will overcome and things will return to normal very soon.”

On her choice of gospel music, the Buguma born gospel artiste said, “There’s too much noise in the world about vulgar things, all mostly expressed in music and dance. If the things of God should be heard,

music ministers need to do more. I want it to be expressed in my music and to also be a medium through which God speaks to people.”

Her virtual debut album, Spirit of the Living God, which was launched in July 2020, has eight tracks, with songs like King of Kings, Belongs to You, Kiniyanabo, Love of My Life, Belema (Love), Same God, and Celebrate (a Christmas song), which were delivered in various genres of music.

As of October 2019, Dewji has an estimated net worth of US $1.9 billion, therefore positioning him as the 17th richest person in Africa and the continent’s youngest billionaire.

May 17 – May 23, 2021




According to her, the track Kiniyanabo (Owner of Man) is a song that portrays the life and culture of the Kalabari kingdom. “It is a reminder of God’s faithfulness and why people should give thanks to God for the gift of life. It also reassures that God will always answer people when they call on Him in any situation.

“My songs are for everybody, irrespective of the status. I sing in Kalabari language because I want to also minister to people from that area and for the older generation to know that young people can also sing and promote their culture,” she says.

Agbani Hosfall is no doubt committed to writing her name in the sands of time.

HorsfallMAKING A DIFFERENCE VIA GOSPEL MUSIC

Agbani

Malaria: Lagos State Urges Residents To Sleep With Nets

The Lagos State government has called on its residents to continue to sleep with Insecticide net so as to prevent the infection of malaria.

The Lagos State Commission for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi who stated this during a colloquium organised by the Centre for Malaria Research, Diagnosis, Training and Policy, University of Lagos, said that the quickest and easiest way to ensure that people do not get infected with malaria was through the use of the nets.

Abayomi who was represented by the Malaria Programme Manager for Lagos State, Dr Abimbola Oshinowo

also stated that adhering to the practice of clean environment will also help the prevention of malaria.

Also speaking while delivering a keynote address, the Chief Executive Officer, FYODOR Biotechnologies, Dr Eddy Agbo stressed the need for the fight against malaria to be given the same level of intervention given to coronavirus in order to avert avoidable deaths in Nigeria.

He said Nigeria was sitting on a time-bomb if it continued to neglect malaria, which he described as an underreported case in the country, saying other countries

Doctors in India are warning against the practice of using cow poop as COVID-19 cure because there is no scientific evidence for its effectiveness.

Doctors are worried that the practice will risks spreading other diseases.

Recall that India has continued to face the world’s most devastating wave of the coronavirus pandemic, with 22.66 million cases and 246,116 deaths reported so far.

Experts believe the actual numbers could be five to 10 times higher, and citizens across the country are struggling to find hospital beds, oxygen, or medicines, leaving many to die for lack of treatment.

In the state of Gujarat in western India, some believers have been going to cow shelters once a week to cover their bodies in cow poop and urine in the hope it will boost their immunity against, or help them recover from coronavirus.

Gautam Manilal Borisa, an associate manager at a pharmaceuticals company however stated that the practice helped him recover from COVID-19 last year.

The Nigerian Society for Immunology (NSI) has urged the Federal Government to boost funding to the health sector so that it could tackle diseases peculiar to the country.

The NSI President, Prof. Ganiyu Arinola, made the appeal in an interview with AljazirahNigeria on Tuesday in Ibadan.

“Nigeria is a country with a large burden of both infectious and non-communicable diseases.

“If we are to move forward as a country, we need to equip our growing scientists with skills needed to tackle diseases endemic to Nigeria,” he said.

According to him, the health system at all levels is not

“We see even doctors come here. Their belief is that this therapy improves their immunity and they can go and tend to patients with no fear,” he said.

The participants according to report, wait for the dung and urine mixture on their bodies to dry, they hug or honour the cows at the shelter, and practice yoga to boost energy levels.

After that, the mixtures are then washed off with milk or buttermilk.

Doctors and scientists in India and across the world have repeatedly warned against bizarre practice, saying they can lead to a false sense of security and complicate health problems

“There is no concrete scientific evidence that cow dung or urine work to boost immunity against COVID-19, it is based entirely on belief,” said Dr. JA Jayalal, national president at the Indian Medical Association.

“There are also health risks involved in smearing or consuming these products - other diseases can spread from the animal to humans.”

performing close to an optimal level due to poor funding.

“With conducive political atmosphere, combined efforts and freedom of expression or action by all healthcare personnel, the health sector will develop.

“Also, with infrastructural availability, financial support, sincerity of purpose and pro-active steps, there is hope to develop the tools necessary for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of endemic diseases in Nigeria.

“Nigeria has active human resources and manpower that only need training and re-training to cope with emerging world situation,” he said.

had leveraged on technology and increased investment in combatting malaria

“We require the same level of urgency and intervention that we had with the COVID-19; we require the same to address malaria because when you look at it, malaria kills way more people. “About 90,000 Nigerians died last year from malaria according to the World Health Organisation and that is a low estimate,” he said.

A Consultant Medical Parasitologist and Director, Center for Malaria Research Diagnosis Training and Policy, Prof. Wellington Oyibo, said the government, private sector and individuals should push for malaria funding just like they did for the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that malaria was fast killing children and pregnant women on a daily basis than COVID-19.

“COVID-19 test is about N50,000 and malaria test is within N2000 and N5000. Let us put that same level of investment we put into COVID-19 into malaria. The investment is critical in attaining this zero target for malaria and we want to see that reduction.

“Investments such as financial, support for movement of commodities for malaria, as some commodities may not get to their target because there is no logistic funding components. Private groups that do haulage should help provide that services from one place to another; as well as advertisement support to raise the awareness. Malaria disease should be on the front headlines of the media, let us leave politics alone,” he said.

Mixing Different Vaccines Increase Mild Side-effects – Study A study has indicated that are more likely to be reports of mild and moderate side-effects after mixing doses of the AstraZeneca and Pfizer Covid vaccines amongst adults.

Chills, headaches and muscle pain were reported more frequently when different vaccine doses were combined.

Any adverse reactions were short lived, with no other safety concerns.

“It’s a really intriguing finding and not something we were necessarily expecting,” Prof Matthew Snape, from the Oxford Vaccine Group said.

BBC news reported that Them-Cov study launched in February to see whether a different jab for the second dose might give longer-lasting immunity, better protection against new variants or simply allow clinics to swap vaccines if supplies are interrupted.

The Canadian provinces of Ontario

and Quebec have both said they plan to mix vaccines in the near future, amid uncertainty over shipments of the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab and concerns about rare blood clots.

It is expected to publish its first full results in June.

But preliminary data has now been published in a research letter in

the medical journal the Lancet.One in 10 volunteers given

two AstraZeneca jabs four weeks apart reported feverishness - but if they received one AstraZeneca jab and one Pfizer, in any order, the proportion rose to about 34%.

“The same real differences applied for other symptoms such as chills, fatigue, headache, malaise and muscle ache,” Prof Snape, the trial’s chief investigator, said.

“One things it’s telling us is that you wouldn’t want to vaccinate a ward full of nurses on same day [with mixed doses of different vaccines], because you might have more absenteeism the next day.”

In April, the study was expanded, adding another 1,050 volunteers to test combinations of the Moderna and Novavax Covid vaccines alongside the AstraZeneca and Pfizer.

STORIES BY CHICA MEFORE-OKAFORhealth e-mail: [email protected]


@aljazirahnewsng






Doctors Warn Against Using Cow Poop As COVID -19 Cure In India

Immunology Society Urges FG To Boost Funding For Health Sector

Sanwo Olu

Kidnapping, Banditry Not Federal Offenses: Nigerians Speaks

ADIM IKPEMr. Lai Mohammed will always come out to defend nonsense. If this government had placed a working structure that would help regulate everything in the country, would the issue of kidnapping and Banditry rise to this level where almost everyone in the country is in danger? Federal government may not have committed the offense but they made a way for those who are committing the offense. They should wait for them; gradually they will also partake from it if the government refuses to do what they should do to wipe off those miscreants.

NELSON ADEJIRIWhat is he talking about? Instead of him to agree that this baseless government has failed Nigerians he is defending rubbish. Look, we know that this government has nothing to offer, no strategy, no planning, not even a foresight. Who is asking him if it’s their offense? What Nigerians need them to do is to solve the challenge at hand. Banditry and kidnapping is increasing every day and all they do is to pretend like they have not heard about it. This government is the worst government. When a government has deliberately decided to make things hard for the subjects, what do you expect them to do in order to survive? They have turned Nigeria upside down and he is defending the federal government. We can’t continue like this, it is either they work or they leave the office for competent people.

YUSUF IBRAHIMIf a leader who should take up responsibility is coming out to say this, it’s clear that the Federal Government has totally lost the capacity to handle the affairs of this nation. If it is not the offense of the Federal Government, what have they done to stop it? The primary duty of the government is to protect lives and property. There is nothing to show that they are doing anything to stop kidnapping and Banditry. The painful thing there is that some of these government leaders are strong sponsors of these Bandits and terrorist groups. If those who should stop evil are the ones planting evil, how can the country move forward? All they know is to talk and embezzle money.

ELVIS TAMUNOSince they have failed to tackle it, it means they have a hand in it. This government has totally destabilized Nigeria. So what he is saying is that hence it is not a federal government offense, they will continue to watch the lives and properties of Nigerians in jeopardy. Any good government takes blame and Shoulders responsibility. They should stop talking and start acting.

Following a recent statement credited to the Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Alh. Lai Mohammed that kidnapping and banditry are not federal offenses, following the security threat of an imminent attack by Boko Haram in Abuja. AljazirahÑigeria’s Wisdom Onyeisi and Salome Unwuchola went round the city of Abuja to sample the opinion of Nigerians.

Nobody cares if it is their offense or not. What we want to see is that Banditry and kidnapping activity is totally stopped in the country.

CATHERINE EFENigerians are not asking him if it is the federal government offense or not. Nigerians want the federal government to do what they are meant to do by taking actions. It will be an offense to the people if they fail to protect lives and property. If they protect themselves with heavy security, leaving their subjects to die in the hands of herdsmen, kidnappers, and Boko Haram groups, then they should know that the people will devise a means of protecting their lives. With this statement it reveals that the government is incapacitated.

OLUWASEUN ADENIJIA government that cannot protect lives and property has committed offense. If a leader is coming to say kidnapping and Banditry is not a federal government offense, then he is indirectly saying the government has no plan to stop it. Why will Nigerian leaders play politics with the lives of people they are charged to serve and protect? It is really heartbreaking because Nigeria has been totally reduced and completely damaged by these leaders. At this point, all Nigerians want is to have peace and move around without putting their lives in danger. The Federal Government should do something about it and stop unnecessary talk.

ISONG ETIMSometimes these people indirectly tell Nigerians that they are very confused and many Nigerians refuse to look into their statement deeply. I think if he says it is not a Federal Government offense, then he is saying the federal government cannot tackle or do anything about it. It shows how confused they are. I have never seen a government like this in the entire world. This government is the worst thing that has happened to Nigeria. A government is regarded by their ability to handle and direct the affairs of the people. No good government puts blame on their subjects; rather they try to find out the reason for such a kind of attitude among the people.

SHEBA AJAHA government that has made Life hard and unbearable for her citizens has committed offense. If as a government they are working on structure and system on how to improve the lives of Nigerian, there will be no increase in crime like kidnapping and Banditry. When a government fails to do what they are supposed to do, it’s an offense because that is the reason they

were voted in. They should start playing their roles and see things change in Nigeria. Many Nigerians are very hungry; some of them could do anything just to survive because of hardship in the country. They should start working on how they can improve lives and protect property. Banditry and kidnapping will become a thing of the past.

UCHENNA OZORMr. Lai Mohammed has never said anything meaningful. Many of these leaders don’t

think before they talk. A government that has collapsed the economy of a whole nation has committed a huge offense. It was because of the hardship they inflicted on the people that has given rise to kidnapping and Banditry in the country. People have reasons for their actions. The Federal Government has disappointed Nigerians, which is a big offense if you ask me. They should sit down and set up plans and structure that will help Nigeria not come out to talk too much and defend their incapability.

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May 17 – May 23, 2021




Davido

Ajibola

Davido @ 10 Riddles With ControversiesIt is no news, that Nigerians talented singer and songwriter, David Adeleke popularly known as Davido is listed amongst the biggest artiste in Africa and has had a huge number of achievements, the singer however, is always on the lips of so many people across the country amid so many controversies, over the past few weeks Davido had a few controversies even down to his 10th year on the stage celebration a few days ago, it is no doubt that these 10 years has been full of too many controversies.

The singer had major controversies in past weeks the recent events were the controversy of his tweeter emoji which he got for his popular slang “E CHOKE”, and the other one he got for his 10 years on stage celebration, a lot of people were happy and celebrated with him while others disagreed with the singer by saying he got them because of his influence and money. The most recent was an allegation of stealing the hit single “JOWO” from his colleague Victor AD. A fan made these allegations on social media stating that Davido stole the song from Victor when they

were recording a song together at OBO’s house.

According to him, Victor AD revealed the same during an interview. This allegation led to quite a heated controversy on social media and eventually

Popular actress, producer and writer, Geneviève Naji has been out of the cameras for a while now, the incredible talent who is loved for her creativity is one of the biggest in Nigeria and even Africa at large. Nigerians have long waited to see her go back to work and make good movies again, this could be the reason for their excitement as she announced her feature in a major movie which was about Africans legend the late Fela Kuti, and she made this known through social media.

The actress who last starred in her history-making directorial debut ‘Lion Heart’ is set to make a comeback with the adaptation which will premiere on Clubhouse on May 15 and May 16 at 2 pm and 6 pm respectively.

“The contemporary issues highlighted in the script are what sold me. This is an artful retelling of Fela’s story and I’m honored to be a part of it. I grew up on radio plays and the experience is nostalgic for me - the power of voice to influence minds and touch hearts is undeniable,” Nnaji shared on why she joined the production.

Nnaji joins the show’s star-studded cast from Nigeria, the UK and the US, including Sir Marcell as Fela Kuti, Jumoké Fashola as Funmilayo Kuti, NC Grey as Najite- a Kalakuta Queen, Nneamaka Nwadei as Omolara- a Kalakuta Queen, Malikat Rufai as Sandra Izsadore, Uche Ogodi as J.K. Braimah, Comfort Dangana as DJ Switch, Adeola Adebari as Tunde, Muhammed Agboluaje as the Driver, LaToya Ransom as the radio Journalist and Aliu Ajala as the Babalawo.

‘Fela Ten Twenty’ will feature an exciting new interpretation of Bill T. Jones and Jim Lewis original “FELA” script, framing the ongoing Endsars movement in the context of Fela Kuti’s legacy. Music for the production will be recorded in Lagos, Nigeria by The Cavemen.

Proceeds from the show will support GEANCO, whose work provides full tuition, healthcare, and social and psychological support to young female survivors of terrorism and gender inequality in Nigeria and across the continent.

Genevieve’s Movie Comeback Excites Fans

forced the “Tire you” singer to come out and put paid to every rumor monger.

Victor AD emphatically stated he did not write the song “Jowo” and was baffled at where the viral rumor’s emanated from, Red

Eye went further to urge those who delight in propagating false news to allow “Omo Baba Olowe” crooner bask in the euphoria of his 10th-year celebration as a king on stage.

Meanwhile, Davido’s lawyer, Prince Bobo in a new post on his Twitter handle disclosed every information that has to do with the song, “Jowo’ from the performer to the writers and the producers.

Bobo tweeted: “As far as I know, Jowo was performed by Davido, written by David Adeleke & Oladeinde Okubajo aka @Davido & @Deindeofficial and prod by Jerry Jethro & Peter A. Kehinde Emmanuel aka Napji & Majicboi. That’s as far as I know. Don’t shoot me I’m just the guy that did the paperwork.”

Before now OBO had major controversy about his baby mama CHIOMA who made it known that she was no longer with the singer, this issue trended on social media for a long time , this was because a lot of people expected Davido to marry Chioma since he was already engaged to her and has paid her bride price. Even amidst all this the singer has grown stronger in his career and has remained calm.

...As Spiff Exits The Johnson’sNigerian actor, Sam Ajibola who is popularly known by a role as Spiff announces his exit from the long-running Africa Magic series, The Johnsons.

The actor made a video thanking Multichoice for the opportunity

and pledging his loyalty to the brand. He also thanked his fans for loving and supporting him in his 10 years of being on the show. This left viewers in big shock as they saw spiff as the major source of comedy in the show, a lot of people were

very sad to hear and didn’t take the announcement well.

Samuel Ajibola’s first advent into the world of acting was as a child actor in an Opa William production titled ‘Tears of Love’ before joining the cast of the Johnsons series in 2012. He also recently tied the knot with the love of his life, Sandra Adanna in December 2020.

The Johnson is a long-running program that has been aired on Africa Magic since 2012. Some actors in the series include Charles Inojie as Mr. Lucky Johnson, Ada Ameh as Mrs. Emu Johnson, Chinedu Ikedezie as Efetobore Johnson, and also Samuel Ajibola as Spiff.

Sam After ten years of starring in the Johnson’s, Spiff has come out to announce his departure from the series. In a lengthy press statement, he wrote…

“Hey, guys. How are you doing? So I have an important message to bring to the general public. For about 10 years now I have sacrificed my time, dedicated my life, as well as all of the God-given creativity within me to serving the Spiff character on The Johnsons television series which undoubtedly for me has fulfilled its purpose in bringing entertainment, happiness, and joy to the African continent as well as also bringing therapeutic

STORIES BY SALOME UNWUCHOLAentertainment & arts e-mail: [email protected]


@aljazirahnewsng






healings to the bodies and minds of our people from several testimonies I’ve heard. But as we all know nothing lasts forever and everything that has a beginning definitely has an ending. And as tough as this decision has been for me to make in the past few years, the time has finally come for me to move on and grow into other purposes as I’m in search of new challenges and other ways to entertain our people through other various projects.

I would like to thank the producers of the show for allowing me to showcase one of the many sides of my limitless creative talent as well as all of the fans who have given me fulfillment in enjoying that character. But most importantly I would like to state that my loyalty belongs to Multichoice. What this means, in general, is that I have not quit acting. It only means that I’m making more time in order to fulfill other purposes and to do other things. Thank you and God bless”.

Fans across states were wondering what the Tv Drama would look like without the comic character, others wished the actor well and thanked him for using his talent to entertain them for so many years. Genevieve

verve

BY SAMUEL ADEGBE

Not a few Nigerians are reeling under various unfriendly business environment even as some policies have further worsened crave for survival.

Amongst these scenarios making life miserable for many are; increment of pump price, hike in electricity tariff, unbridled bank charges, pervasive poverty and massive unemployment. These are serious challenges starring citizens in the face.

Business owners in Nigeria, especially in the Federal Capital Territory FCT, are struggling to recover from the negative impact of COVID-19, having closed their businesses courtesy of the pandemic that caused panic and ravaged many communities leaving many stranded.

Many are currently struggling; trying to keep expenses to a minimum but recently woke up to an unanticipated rise in the cost of electricity.

Petty traders in the country appear worst hit by the 100% hike in electricity tariff which is seriously taking a toll on their businesses.

Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) suddenly increased the electricity tariff from 30.23 Naira for one kWh (kilowatt unit of energy per hour) to as much as 62.33 Naira per kWh.

Citizens including Artisans,

Teachers, Manufacturers and industrialists among others describe the increase as ill-timed, insensitive, and a deliberate attempt to further increase the difficulties they are passing through at a time they were trying to pick their bits and pieces following months of COVID-19 lockdown.

Against the backdrop of the nationwide anguish that greeted the proposal, residents on September 1, 2020, woke up to a 100 percent increment on the electricity tariff plan, a surge that caught many people unawares.

And 6 months after, the policy is indeed adding more burden to the many, especially ice block sellers who invested so much on equipment but

now incapacitated by the hike in tariff of the electricity.

For many businesses in FCT that heavily rely on electricity have now folded up. Many are reporting dwindling fortunes while others are on the verge of collapsing as a result of the hike that have grounded their businesses, thereby causing a spike in the rate of unemployment in the country.

AljazirahNigeria who went round those categories of business can report that many businesses have been crumbling, while many business owners are now leaving at the mercy of friends, children, and neighbors while some end up going cap in hand.

AljazirahNigeria equally learnt that many took loans from banks to finance the acquisition of this gadgets and have failed to meet up with their loan repayments while others use their pension to invest on the equipments which is not yielding anything to them.

While lamenting, a retired English classroom teacher, Mrs Charity Orji from Abia State who resides in Area 7 Abuja said the hike has crippled her business and turned her into a beggar.

“After my retirement, I collected my little pension as a teacher, I thought of going into ice block business, and I used the money to purchase equipment worth thousands of naira, and venture into the business but with the hike in tariff I have stopped

Many are currently struggling; trying to keep expenses to a minimum but recently woke up to an unanticipated rise in the cost of electricity.

selling because those gadgets consume a lot of power.

“And I can’t make use of bye pass I decided to put an end to the business.

“I have stop selling ice block, the only source of income I have after my retirement because of the 100% increment in the electricity tariff. How can I buy units of 5,000 naira and end of selling ice block of less than 4000. That volume of electricity is not even enough to cool the water talk less of about making the water block.

“Nobody that is selling the block with unit card in town that will make profit except they are using power directly from the grid.

“If not for the fact that my children re helping me by now I must have been a beggar, but my children came for the rescue.

“I am 72 years old. We are yet to have a government that is as bad as this current government.”

Another pensioner Mr. John Ekundayo whose wife sells ice-block in Zone 3, Abuja also bemoaned; “Even before the hike we were not making a profit, it’s just for us to be interacting with people, things were not easy. Now with the new price, how do they expect us to survive? He asked.

On his own, Garba Idris an ice block seller in Area 11, said his family suffered greatly from the increase as it has impacted his business negatively.

“I have to stop selling ice block as you can see I am selling Kerosene now because I can cope with the hike and cost of the unit. “He said.

May 17 – May 23, 2021




... your world of enchanting experience

Electricity Hike Grinds Our Businesses – FCT Petty Traders

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N200

Governments around the world are developing integrated frameworks for the adoption and deployment of information and communications technology (ICT) in their national

security architectures.Today, technology is playing a significant role

in the operations of various security/defence organisations in advanced economies such as the United States of America, Russia, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany and other emerging technology-driven countries.

Specifically, Artificial intelligence (AI) is a wide-ranging field of technology with significant potentials for national security, and many nations are developing AI applications for a range of military functions.

Military services have started incorporating AI and Robotics into semi-autonomous and autonomous vehicles, including fighter aircrafts, drones, ground vehicles and naval vessels.

Also, the intelligence communities in a host of the mentioned countries have several ongoing projects to incorporate AI algorithms and computer vision into intelligence collection cells that would automatically sift through drone footage for actionable information.

Such AI applications are similar to those for commercial semi-autonomous vehicles, which use AI technologies to identify the environment, recognise obstacles, combine sensor data, plan navigation, and also communicate with other vehicles.

Artificial Intelligence is a branch of computer science concerned with building smart machines capable of performing tasks that usually require human intelligence. It describes any task

performed by a machine that demonstrates behaviours associated with human intelligence. These include planning, learning, reasoning, problem-solving, knowledge representation, perception, motion, and some minimal level of social intelligence and creativity.

Communications, healthcare, disease control, education, agriculture, transportation (autonomous vehicles), space exploration, science, and entertainment are among those areas already benefiting from AI.

Nigeria’s defence/security (military, paramilitary and intelligence) services have been stretched beyond their traditional capacity as they grapple with seemingly unending insecurity across all parts of the country.

Government and citizens acknowledge that banditry, kidnapping, militancy, the Boko Haram insurgency, and other sundry criminalities have overstretched the defence/security forces in terms

of personnel, logistics, and even funding.Stakeholders in the Nigeria Project are

increasingly pointing in the direction of technology as the next available option to help reduce the scourge of insecurity and its attendant implications.

In recognition of this reality, the Minister of Defence, Major-General Bashir Magashi (rtd) has disclosed Nigeria’s readiness to adopt globally acceptable cutting-edge technologies in the management of the nation’s security and defence architecture. Speaking at a lecture titled, “Defence Management in the Fourth Industrial Revolution in Nigeria: Ministry of Defence in Perspective”, Magashi said the Federal Government has keyed into technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) to defeat all security threats in the country.

Recently, the Director-General of National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa urged the Nigerian Army to embrace and adopt technology for enhanced national security.

This was during a visit by the Chief of Defence Communications, Major-General Elvis Njoku, who said the new Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor directed defence institutions to collaborate with ICT related public institutions for the purpose of tackling contemporary security challenges.

He admitted that the use of technology is a force multiplier that will impact positively in Nigeria’s military operations and expressed confidence that the collaboration with NITDA would help them in achieving their mandate.

Inyene Ibanga writes from Wuye District, Abuja.

May 17 – May 23, 2021

ALJAZIRAH NEWSPAPERS is published in Abuja by ALJAZIRAH NEWSPAPER LIMITED, Plot 11, Dunukofia Street, Area 11, Garki, Abuja Tel: (09) 2909054, (09) 2900147, +234 817 227 9943 e-mail: [email protected] website: www.aljazirahnews.com Editor: George Emine. (ISSN: 2449 – 1144)

Guest Columnist Inyene Ibanga

Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser To President Buhari for comparing Nigeria’s situation with Manchester City on the

EPL who after several years have been dominating but came this way after a long lull. Why are you playing with the sensibility of Nigerians by trivializing grave national issues with your unimaginative football teaser.

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