The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Fayemi declares zero-tolerance for human trafficking

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has declared his administration’s zero-tolerance for human trafficking.

    Fayemi said his administration would not relent in its efforts to rid the state of human traffickers.

    The governor added that the government has  put in place institutional measure to eradicate these inhumane practices and ensure that those engaged in such illegal acts are made to face the full rot of the law.

    The deputy governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, spoke yesterday on behalf of Fayemi during the inauguration of  the State Task Force on Human Trafficking and the Justice Sector Reform Committee at the Conference Hall of the Governor’s Office, Ado Ekiti.

    Read Also: Ekiti appoints Emir Sanusi as EKSU Chancellor

    According to a statement signed by the Special Assistant (Media) to the Deputy Governor, Odunayo Ogunmola, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Olawale Fapohunda, is the chairman of the two committees.

    Fayemi said committee members were carefully selected based on their experience and pedigrees, urging them to see the assignment as a call to duty.

    Thanking them for accepting the offer to serve, the governor prayed God to give them the wisdom to discharge the assignment aimed at reforming the society.

  • Oyo APC to PDP: name those in possession of govt’s vehicles

    Oyo State All Progressives Congress (APC) has challenged the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to either make public the identity of anyone in illegal possession of government’s property among the officials who served during the Abiola Ajimobi administration or “stop spending available resources on cheap blackmail”.

    Governor Seyi Makinde has been accusing some of those, who served with Ajimobi of having taken away government’s vehicles with them.

    But, Oyo APC said in a statement by its Assistant Publicity Secretary, Prince Ayobami Adejumo, yesterday  that the noise about the issue of vehicles allegedly taken away by unnamed persons was a clear indication that the PDP was not prepared for the serious business of governance.

    The statement reads: “They were desperate for power and now that they have it, they do not know what to do with it. How can a serious party be comfortable with the fact that a governor it sponsored into power cannot role out a significant action plan or blueprint, but chose to dwell on mundane issues four weeks after inauguration and without any sign of promise to deliver?

    “As concerned stakeholders, we have done our investigation and found out that none of our members went away with official vehicles or any government’s property illegally as Governor Makinde and his party want the public to believe. Therefore, we challenge the present administration or any of its sympathizers to name all those they have established to be in possession of the said items and initiate appropriate measures to recoveries same from them.

    “But if all the present administration and the PDP would prefer to do while its span runs out is to wage war against the persons of Senator Ajimobi and other who served the state meritoriously between 2011 and 2019 under the banner of the Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN)/APC, we wish them good luck.”

    The  party said it was regrettable that governance has since gone on holiday in Oyo State.

    Read Also: We have uncovered plots to rubbish Ajimobi’s legacies, says Oyo APC

    The APC advised Makinde “to resist every instinct or pressure capable of causing unrest in the state, especially as it concerned sponsorship of anarchy and confusion at the local government tier”.

    It warned that the Pacesetter State should not be in the news for any wrong reason because a governor must satisfy himself or his party men.

    “The current officials at the local council are a product of legitimacy and since the governor has agreed to edge them out through after his first self-help attempt failed, he should submit himself wholly to the court process without any overt or covert effort to circumvent democracy and the rule of law.

    “We say no to intimidation of elected council chairmen and councillors by the governor or any of his men who are desperate to feast on the resources of local government councils as done in the past.

    “The Appeal Court has picked July 5, 2019 for hearing of the case brought before  it by the governor with a caveat that the status quo must be maintained.

    “What this means is that elected officials should not be prevented from functioning in their capacities and we expect the PDP government to be aware of this,” Adejumo said.

    The APC, in another statement by its spokesperson, Dr. AbdulAzeez Olatunde, advised Makinde and PDP to have a rethink on its plans to inaugurate caretaker committee government in the councils  in defiance of court order.

    The APC advised the PDP led government to halt the plan in the interest of the masses to avoid needlessly inflicting untold suffering on the people at the grassroots.

    The state APC accused the PDP government of executive recklessness, especially in its recent decisions to thwart the legacies of the immediate past APC government .

    According to the party, the governor has taken on the toga of impunity by  sacking  elected council chairmen and  the perfection of the  government’s  plan to inaugurate caretaker committee despite a subsisting court order.

  • Osun to deliver 100 ‘revitalised health centres’ in July

    The first 100 primary health centres revitalised by the Osun State Government will be delivered for public use next month, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola has said.

    The government is revitalising 332 primary health centres, one per ward, with the grants it received for its performance in the Save A Million Lives (SOML) programme promoted by the Federal Ministry of Health.

    On Sunday during the inspection of some of the centres under construction around Osogbo, the state capital, Oyetola expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done in the places he visited.

    He said: “We are here to inspect some of the ongoing Primary Healthcare Centres across the state and to assess the state of the work done and the quality of the job.

    “Some weeks ago, we flagged off the revitalisation and rehabilitation of 332 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), out of which 100 of them are witnessing total turnaround already.

    “Our intention is to ensure that each of the 332 wards across the state has a PHC and I must appreciate the fact that the Federal Government has been so helpful on this initiative.

    “Health is wealth and no serious government will play with the health of its people because development revolves around it.

    Read Also: Osun economic summit shifted

    “So, the intention is to ensure that our people have access to quality health facilities wherever they live.

    “I am satisfied with what I saw and I can assure that in the next two to three weeks, we must have delivered on the first phase of the project.”

    Supervisor for Works Mr. Remi Omowaye hailed the Oyetola administration for being committed to the people’s welfare.

    He also assured that 100 of the PHCs will be delivered next month.

    Oyetola, who was accompanied by senior government officials, visited the PHC in Jaleyemi and in Irepodun village on the outskirts of Osogbo, where the villagers gave him a big welcome.

    The governor also visited the State Hospital, Asubiaro, where he ordered the management to submit a comprehensive report that will quicken the full restoration of the facilities at the hospital.

    A part of the hospital, especially the Trauma Centre, is out of use having been vandalised by invading monkeys, domiciled in the bush behind the hospital, according to officials.

    Oyetola assured that his government would address the problems identified in the hospital so as to put it into optimal use.

    “Our people have a right to quality healthcare service and facilities,” he added.

  • No vacancy in Alagbaka House, says APC chieftain

    Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Mr. Banji Alabi, said yesterday that Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu will have the mandate of the people to serve the state for the mandatory eight years.

    Alabi, who is the Chairman, Governing Council of the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic (RUGIPO) Owo, noted that Akeredolu came with twin promises of prompt payment of workers salary and infrastructural development, which, according to him, had been fulfilled.

    Speaking at the reunion of St Catherine Old Girls Association, Owo, Alabi decried the abject poverty being experienced  daily around African continent and particularly Nigeria.

    Besides, the APC stalwart urged the state Assembly to promulgate a law that will make kidnapping a capital offence to dislodge the perpetrators.

    He said Akeredolu’s administration had renovated over 500 schools, reducing the mortality rate of women at child birth as well as prevention and treatment of hypertension, diabetes measles and malaria and tuberculosis.

    Read Also: Ondo 2020: Hausa community flags off ‘Aketi’ second term bid

    Meanwhile, scores of Hausa community leaders from the three senatorial districts of the state yesterday converged on Akure, the state capital, to kick off the sensitisation exercise for Akeredolu’s second term.

    Numbering 500,the meeting was presided over by the Special Assistant(SA) to the Governor on Hausa/Fulani Matters, Bala Umaru.

    Bala said the sensitisation began in earnest as a sign of appreciation for what Akeredolu had achieved in the state for the people, particularly the Hausa tribe.

    According to him, the grand finale for the exercise is fixed for September, where five governors from the North would be in attendance.

    Besides, he said many National Assembly members would witness the occasion with three notable Emirs from their home base in the North.

  • Court dismisses Fani-Kayode’s involuntary statement claim

    The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday dismissed a claim by a former Minister of Aviation Chief Femi Fani-Kayode’s claim that extrajudicial statements he made at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were not voluntary.

    He disowned the statements during his trial for money laundering involving about N4.6billion and prayed Justice Rilwan Aikawa not to admit them in evidence.

    EFCC charged, Fani-Kayode, Director of Publicity of the Goodluck Jonathan Presidential Campaign Organisation in 2015, along with former minister of state for finance Mrs Nenadi Usman.

    They were arraigned with former Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) Chairman and ex-Chairman of Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Mr. Yusuf Danjuma, and a company, Jointrust Dimentions Nigeria Limited.

    The other defendants also disowned their statements.

    The defence counsel, Messrs Ferdinand Orbih (SAN), Norrison Quakers (SAN) and Clement Onwuenwuenor, urged the judge to order a trial-within-trial to test the statements’ voluntariness.

    But, the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, maintained that the statements were voluntarily made, adding that there was no need for a trial-within-trial.

    Ruling yesterday, Justice Aikawa agreed with the prosecution and dismissed the objections.

    He held that a trial-within-trial is only necessary where a statement sought to be admitted “is manifestly confessional”.

    Read Also: Like Fani-Kayode; like Omokri

    “In the present case, none of the statements is confessional. A trial-within-trial is therefore unnecessary,” he ruled.

    Justice Aikawa said the statements complied with the provisions of Section 17 (1) and (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), which provides that someone must be present to witness a statement.

    The defendants were accused of violating the Money Laundering Act by indirectly retaining N300million, N400million and N800million, all proceeds of corruption, according to EFCC.

    Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Nenadi Esther Usman, Femi Fani-Kayode, Danjuman Yusuf and Jointrust Dimentions Nigeria Ltd on or about the 8th day of January, 2015, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to indirectly retain the sum of N1,500, 000,000.00 which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: stealing.”

    Fani-Kayode was also accused of making a cash transaction of N24 million with one Olubode Oke, said to still be at large, on February 12, 2015 “to Paste Poster Company of 125, Lewis Street, Lagos Island,” contrary to the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    Justice Aikawa adjourned till July 4 for continuation of trial.

  • NAF reactivates C-130H to tackle insecurity in North

    The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Monday relaunched its newly refurbished transport aircraft, the C-130H, into its fleet and deployed same to supply weapons, others to battlefields in the Northeast and Northwest.

    The relaunch followed an intensive Periodic Depot Maintenance (PMD) at the Aircraft Maintenance Depot (ACMD) in Ikeja, the Lagos State capital, the first of its kind since the acquisition of the American four-engine turboprop aircraft in the 1980s.

    The NAF had attempted an in-country PDM when Nigeria suffered international embargo on the supply of military hardware.

    Relaunching the C-130H yesterday, the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar said he was happy that the intensive PDM was concluded successfully within a year and some months.

    Aside the huge foreign exchange the NAF saved the country by doing the PDM locally, Abubarkar said it also enhanced the capacity of personnel of the unit who took part in the exercise.

    He said: “In-country maintenance is very important because it is all about building capacity. This is the first time in the history of the NAF that we conducted a very successful PDM within Nigeria. It sends a good message that though we have technical partners, we also have Nigerian technicians who participated to ensure the PDM was conducted locally.

    Read Also: Fight against insecurity, collective efforts – NAF

    “It has saved us foreign exchange. If we were to carry this aircraft to outside Nigeria, we would have to pay for cargo. For it to be moved, it would have to be dismantled and then we would have limited number of personnel that would be sent abroad for that.

    “But now that it was done in Nigeria, everybody in that unit had the opportunity to really be part of the process. In that wise, we are so excited.

    “We have just flagged the PDM of the second one, which is 912. The Pakistani Air Force is here with us because they fly the same aircraft and have the capacity we believe we can tap from. In Kano, we did life extension of three fighter aircraft locally and in Port Harcourt, we are perfecting one of the helicopters.

    “So, overtime, I see us having the right capacities to conduct these things locally by ourselves. This aircraft will be deployed immediately to the Northeast and Northwest.

    “Without this C-130, you cannot have a successful operation. How do you carry bombs, rockets? Which aircraft will carry them? It is the C-130 that carries them. Apart from that, how do you discharge food materials? Because of the shortage resulting from conflict, distribution of food items is done by the C-130.

    “Outside Nigeria, we were in Gambia during the crisis and it was the C-130 that carried our troops, including the Army and Navy personnel. So, it is a very critical machine when it comes to conduct of war.”

    Noting that the C-130H brought to 20 the number of refurbished aircraft in the fleet of the NAF, Abubakar said gradually, the 910 and 914 would also undergo PDM locally.

    He added: “The C-130H fleet in particular has been one of the key fulcrums in providing sustainment to our troops involved in the current internal security operations through airlift and movement of troops, equipment, armament and other material.

    “The C-130H has also been critical to NAF’s response to emergencies or in fulfilling Nigeria’s responsibilities to international peace keeping operations and ensuring stability…”

  • Arnergy raises $9m for renewable energy

    A Nigerian utility firm, Arnergy, on Monday said it has raised $9 million in a Series A round of funding led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries (Norfund), EDFI ElectriFI and Shells’ All On.

    Founder and CEO of Arnergy, Femi Adeyemo, who spoke in Lagos, said there are about 60 million generators in the country used for powering homes and business with attendant health hazards.

    He said the renewable energy solution will be deployed to 35,000 businesses and homes over the next 36 months begining from Lagos and Abuja, adding that it will expand to other parts of the country subsequently.

    He said: “We are excited to enter this next phase in Arnergy’s development with investors that share our vision of tackling the most pressing energy challenges across emerging market economies, starting with Nigeria. We believe that energy needs in Nigeria have surpassed rudimentary requirements of low power utilization and our product offerings are solving for reliability and not just access.”

    According to him, Arnergy’s distributed renewable energy systems harness the combination of solar power, superior storage solutions and proprietary remote management technologies to deliver scalable, reliable and affordable energy solutions that are tailored to tackle issues related to intermittency and grid unreliability. Since launch, Arnergy has delivered over 2 megawatts (Mw) of installed capacity and over 5MWh of storage capacity to business and residential clients across Nigeria.

    He said the firm’s market scaling ambitions was fueled by the influx of new capital, stressing that this will include new business models and partnership opportunities, as well as consumer financing and channel expansion activities. Targeted verticals for the company’s 5KW modular systems will include small businesses, healthcare, hospitality, financial services, agribusiness and education.

    Also speaking on the occasion, Carmichael Roberts of Breakthrough Energy Ventures, said Arnergy understands the West African market and its need for power reliability.

    Read Also: NERC’s revenue hits N5.5b

    He said: “Creating accessibility to reliable renewable energy sources is paramount to economic growth in this region. With Arnergy’s technology, we can significantly decrease carbon emissions and it’s a model that can be replicated all over the developing world.”

    EVP Clean Energy from Norfund, Mark Davis, said access to clean and stable energy is a prerequisite for job creation and development.

    “Norfund is proud to support the expansion of Arnergy which will provide Nigerian households and businesses on a weak-grid connection with a cheaper, cleaner and more reliable power solution to meet their daily needs,” he said.

    ElectriFI Fund Manager, Dominiek Deconinck, said the EU-funded access to energy impact facility, is thrilled to join such a strong group of investors backing visionary entrepreneurs who will positively impact thousands of local businesses in Nigeria.

    Speaking on the investment, CEO of Shell funded All On,  Wiebe Boer, said: “This is a deal that is particularly exciting to us at All On as a Nigerian impact investor because it reinforces our belief that local energy companies like Arnergy with innovative Nigerian technology and business models can attract investments from global giants like Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Norfund and ElectriFI, and are ready and able to compete on a global stage.”

    According to Damilola Ogunbiyi, the CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), “I am delighted that Arnergy, a home grown company and one of the market leaders for off grid energy in Nigeria, has reached this milestone to raise capital from such an impressive group of local and international investors. It is a validation of all the hard work the REA and all of our partners are doing to create an enabling environment for off grid development.

  • MainOne backs UNIBEN’s ICT programme

    West Africa’s leading connectivity and data centre solutions provider, MainOne, on the heels of the expansion of its network into Edo State has assured the University of Benin (UNIBEN) of its support towards continued information communication technology (ICT) development at the university.

    The firm reiterated its commitment towards improving access to ICT on campus with the investment in fiber connectivity to campus, as well as by pledging financial support and internship opportunities for the top performing ICT students at the university.

    The pledge was made at a private meeting hosted by the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Faraday Orumwense, before the start of the fourth edition of University’s ICT Day event with the theme: Building Sustainable Future with ICT Tools and Apps.

    The VC was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Ekehuan Campus, Prof. Joel Agbolagba.  The  event was focused on enlightening the students, faculty, secondary school pupils, and general public on the importance of ICT tools in the sustainable economic development of the country.

    Read Also: EdoJobs leads street campaign, storms UNIBEN, others

    MainOne CEO, Funke Opeke, who was the keynote speaker at the event, stressed the importance of students taking advantage of the opportunities available to them in ICT.

    She highlighted how advances in technology and access to infrastructure, have lowered the barrier to entry for potential entrepreneurs like never before regardless of age, gender, social or educational status. She also said there are more opportunities for financing from local incubators alongside international initiatives to support the growing network of technology startups.

    Opeke said: “21st Century success as entrepreneurs or in paid employment will come from adding value with ICT tools and apps. I urge you all to go disrupt the world with an app.”

    MainOne’s ICT support of the university is underscored through the completion of the terrestrial fibre infrastructure programme it started nine months ago in partnership with the Edo State government and global social media giant, Facebook. The infrastructure which will provide connectivity for mobile operators’ base stations, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Points of Presence (PoP), and public locations, including schools and hospitals, is now ready to be turned on across the city of Benin.

  • CCNN, BUA Cement merger wins finance award

    The $1.1billion merger between the Cement Company of Northern Nigeria and BUA Group’s Kalambaina Cement has been awarded the Best M&A Deal in Africa by the EMEA Finance Achievement Award held in London.

    The award was received by a director of CCNN who is also the Group Chief Operating Officer of BUA Group, Chimaobi Madukwe.

    Speaking at the award, Madukwe expressed gratitude to EMEA Finance for the award and described it as a global nod to the expansion vision of BUA Group.

    Madukwe reiterated BUA’s commitment to ensure high capacity utilisation, efficiency and better quality of its products with the 2 million metric tonnes per annual plants capacity.

    Read Also: Fed Govt inaugurates SEC board

    Madukwe said: “As a brand, this is a very big achievement for BUA. And we thank EMEA Finance for the award. The award is highly competitive, and for BUA Group’s investment and achievement in the cement sector to be recognised in this manner, it gives the management of CCNN and BUA a satisfaction that our strategy to expand beyond the shores of Africa is realisable.”

    The capital market regulators had in January 2019 approved the merger of the 500,000mtpa CCNN and 1.5mmtpa Kalambaina Cement. The merger described as the biggest in 2018 further reaffirmed CCNN as the market leader in the North West regional market with huge export opportunity to countries like Niger and Burkina Faso.

    EMEA Finance is a leading bimonthly global industry publication that reports on the major financial events and happenings initiated and influenced by the international financial industry active in Europe, Middle East, and Africa.

  • Fed Govt inaugurates SEC board

    The Federal Government on Monday, inaugurated the newly re-constituted Board of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

    The investiture which was conducted by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Alhaji. Mahmoud Isa-Dutse, in Abuja.

    The board has Mr. Olufemi Lijadu as chairman.

    Lijadu, who hails from Ogun State, is a leading commercial lawyer with over 30 years experience. He was also Executive Director of United Bank of Africa Plc.

    Mahmoud said: “This event signals another milestone in our efforts to emphasise the importance of the capital market in economic growth and development through the mobilisation of long-term savings for investment as well as efficient pricing of financial instruments.

    “The Nigerian Capital Market, in particular, has provided platforms through which corporate and government sources for capital with which they expand their operations and provide amenities for the citizens.

    “The inauguration of SEC Board is critical, as the existence and operation of a board are fundamental for an agency like the SEC to adequately and efficiently perform its regulatory and market development functions.”

    “It is in recognition of this that the Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 2007, requires that the Commission have a board and Section 4 of the Act specifically provides that the SEC Board shall be responsible for the general administration of the Commission.

    “Our capital market is growing and evolving. To sustain this growth and eventually transform to a world-class capital market, transparency and investor confidence is key.

    “Investor confidence will accelerate the growth of our market and increase both domestic and foreign investor participation. Therefore, we must ensure that our market is transparent and listed companies imbibe good corporate governance and accountability.

    “Like world-class capital markets, ours should be characterized by high levels of liquidity, depth, breadth and sophistication with a strong domestic investor base. It should be innovative, transparent due to robust disclosure regimes, and efficient both in price discovery and in the allocation of capital.

    “We must have it in mind that world-class capital markets do far more than provide access to capital. They are enablers of socio-economic development because they hasten the rate of capital formation, foster a meritocracy and promote good corporate governance, innovation and entrepreneurship.

    Read Also: NERC’s revenue hits N5.5b

    “Thus, our capital market should broaden access to economic prosperity by enabling the emergence of financially responsible citizens, accelerating wealth creation and wealth distribution, providing capital to small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs). and catalysing housing finance.”

    He noted that the inauguration of the SEC Board is timely because it is coming at the time when many players in the market are displaying weak corporate governance practices that could potentially dampen investor confidence and undermine the steady gains we have achieved since the 2008 stock market crash.

    “We therefore count on the patriotic service of the new Board members to play their own part as crucial enablers in the industry towards advancing a common vision for the growth and revitalisation of our market,” he said.

    Mahmoud also emphasised that: “The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to transparency and accountability in corporate governance.

    “To this end, I must emphasise that the role of Governing Boards is to provide effective oversight and strategic advisory to the management team. I would therefore like to advise all concerned to study and strictly adhere to the laid down Laws that have clearly defined the roles and responsibilities of the Board Members.

    “In keeping with the law, the membership of the Board is carefully drawn from seasoned professionals and eminent personalities that would inspire confidence and trust from other stakeholders they would be working with.

    “We trust the capacity of the new Board to deliver on their mandate as we have no doubt that the professional pedigree of members of the Board, their wealth of experience, and robust networks will be brought to facilitate the achievement of desired results.”

    Lijadu in his remarks assured that the Board will work hand-in-hand with all stakeholders to ensure transparency and accountability which is critical to building investors’ confidence and public trust. He also said that the Commission will always follow the rule of law to enforce rules in the Capital Market to ensure orderliness.

    The Acting Director General of the SEC, Ms Mary Uduk also said: “The Capital Market will no longer be the same again because we have gotten the Board we have been waiting for for a longtime now.

    “From the CV of the Board Members, the market will definitely move forward considering their qualifications and experience.”

    Part-time members of the Board are: Mr. Olufemi Dominic Lijadu (Chairman), Mr. Okokon Ekanem Udo (Representative of the Federal Ministry of Finance), Mrs. Angela Adewumi Sere-Ejembi (Representative of the Central Bank of Nigeria), Mrs. Faruk Ladi Rekiya (part time Commissioner), Mr. Lamido Abubakar Yuguda (part time Commissioner).

    Full-time members are: Ms. Mary Joseph Uduk – Acting Director-General, Mr Isyaku Bala Tilde – Ag. Executive Commissioner (Operations), Mr. Reginald Karawusa – Ag. Executive Commissioner (Legal and Enforcement), Mr.  Henry Adekunle Rowlands – Ag. Executive Commissioner (Corporate Services).

    The inauguration of the Board comes with much excitements as market operators and stakeholders in the sector have been calling for the reconstitution of the board to strengthen SEC’s operations.