Author: The Nation

Eric IKHILAE, Abuja

 

THE failure of the police to produce Sahara Reporters’ publisher, Omoyele Sowore and four others in court on Friday stalled the scheduled ruling on their bail application.

Magistrate Mabel Segun-Bello of the Magistrates’ Court, Wuse Zone 2, Abuja had on January 6, 2021 scheduled ruling for Friday after entertaining arguments on the bail application filed by Sowore and others.

Sowore, Juwon Sanyaolu, Peter Williams, Damilare Adenola, and Emmanuel Bulus were arraigned before the court on Monday on a three-count charge filed by the police.

Sowore, who was the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the last general elections, was arrested with the others on New Year’s Eve for their alleged involvement in a protest against bad governance in the country.

The prosecution claimed the defendants were arrested with placards that called for a violent revolution against President Muhammadu Buhari.

On Wednesday, after taking arguments on the defendants’ bail application, Magistrate Segun-Bello scheduled ruling for Friday, at 11 am.

Read Also: Sowore: Another face of impunity

By 11am on Friday, Sowore’s lawyer, Marshal Abubakar and associates of the defendants were in court, but the prosecuting lawyer was absent, prompting the court to reschedule proceedings for 1pm.

By 1pm, when the prosecuting lawyer was still yet to arrive in court, an official of the court invited the defence lawyer into the office of the Magistrate.

On emerging from the office of the Magistrate, Abubakar told journalists that he learnt the police claimed to have handed the case file to a Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) for further prosecution.

The lawyer said the unnamed DIG, who was called to produce the defendants, claimed to have handed the case file to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) on the instruction of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

No date was fixed for further proceedings.

 

Emmanuel OLADESU, Deputy Editor

 

THE Chairman of Eleganza Group of Companies, Chief Rasaq Akanni Okoya, on Friday called for the creation of new industrial zones in 36 states where small scale industries can spring up.

The eminent industrialist, who is the Aare of Lagos, suggested that the small scale industries should have residential accommodation for workers, adding that the strategy will stem rural-urban migration and reduce congestion in cities.

Okoya, who will be 81 next Tuesday, also called for what he described as “industrial training schools” to offer skill acquisition training in carpentry, bricklaying, sewing, mechanical work, wood work, pharmaceuticals, and electrical works.

Hale and Hearty, the entrepreneur urged the youths to learn from the activities of productive elements and industrialists whose contributions can make Nigeria to become an industrial giant.

He said while agriculture has the potentials of making the largest contribution to the economy, the development of small scale industries will also contribute to economic growth.

Okoya said: “If we can add small scale industries around the country in each of the 36 states that   includes residential accommodation for workers, a lot of problems would be solved.

“The new industrial zones will decrease the need for our youths to move from state to state and especially reduce the need for them to migrate to the city.

“This programme will ease congestion in urban areas, especially in Lagos and ensure that the whole of Nigeria becomes a commercial hub and large scale commercial activities are not solely limited to Lagos.”

He added: “My prayer is for the government to aid in the industrialisation of Nigeria; perhaps by building one thousand units of 30 x 40 square   meter warehouses per state with accommodation of two bedroom apartments, which can be expanded yearly for the youth to live in while working nearby.

“In the same areas, it would be beneficial to provide industrial training schools, which will provide for all core skills like carpentry, bricklaying, sewing, mechanical work, wood working, pharmaceutical and electrical work, etc.

“The unfortunate fact is, it is difficult to find a good carpenter and there are not many around, even good builders and interior decorators are rare.”

Okoya said the new economic programme will allow each state to look inwardly at the talents they are endowed with and train their youths on how to trade with them.

He said the new approach will reduce the unemployment rate, empower the youths and reduce poverty.

Okoya stressed: “Most of them will be able to employ more people when they set up their businesses. The government should then look to invite countries such as China, India, Taiwan, depending on what country specializes on the   products that meet our national needs. “These countries bring their small scale equipment and machinery for small scale production lines and the government will procure this equipment and sell it to the youths who have acquired the skill and graduated from the training schools of their specialized area on no interest rate loans.

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“This will enable all of them to establish themselves properly and progress to any heights. With time, it will be possible for us to manufacture   and   produce   all   the   products   we   utilize   and   consume   within   our   own borders and tip the scales so that we export more than we import.

“The training schools can take first degree graduates and train them on production lines. With this prayer, the youths will be more empowered than I was when I built my own empire.

“I’m saying all this because I believe success and prosperity should not only be achieved personally and Nigeria needs to get to a point where her citizens can enjoy collective prosperity.

“For my 35 hectares of factories and all other factories in the nation, my only prayer point is in the form of government provision of stable electrical power supply.

“If we have stable light, we would be able to further expand and employ more than ten times of our current number of about 2,000 staff.   “In less than five years, the youth will be less dependent on the government for employment and there will be a brighter future for them filled with more   opportunity.”

 

Sam EGBURONU, Associate Editor

 

The immediate past President and Chief Executive Officer of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria PLC, Valentine Ozigbo, who is also one of the front line aspirants in this year’s governorship election in Anambra State, has identified four critical areas that must be entrenched in the strategy to change the narrative for Ndigbo’s socio-economic and political development in Nigeria and in the world.

Mr. Ozigbo made the submission while addressing participants at the last Summit of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Wing.

While speaking at the event held at Nike Lake Resort, Enugu, Ozigbo, said: “Umunnem, our narrative needs to change. We need to actively change the stories we tell about ourselves. We need to change the stories that others tell about us. This change of the collective narrative about the Igbo nation will happen when we imbibe what I call The Critical Four,.”

“These are competence in leadership, reorientation of values, a culture of continuous improvement, and regional synergy,” Ozigbo explained.

He raised questions regarding the perceived leaders of Ndi Igbo and the way forward.

Read Also: Ohaneze Ndigbo: Playing the exclusion politics?

He asked, “Who are we looking up to? Who are our mentors? Who is defining the values? Who is setting the path and charting the course?”

“I make bold to say, without prejudice to anyone here that Igbos are lagging behind in the kind of inspiring leadership that empowers our people. We are in a dynamic and fast changing world where everything is becoming knowledge based and technology driven.”

He further challenged the youths to be bold enough to question the status quo, as that is the only way that innovation and creativity can thrive.

“We must eschew the spirit of _otu odi na mbu, ka odi ugbua, ka o ga adigide  otua rue mgbe ebighiebi (how it was in the beginning is how it is now, and it will remain the same forever),” Ozigbo added.

A statement signed by Ephraim Adiele, Media Assistant to Valentine Ozigbo, and made available to The Nation said “as part of activities at the summit, Ozigbo was awarded the Igbo Heroes Award for being a model for Igbo youths in entrepreneurship and leadership excellence.”

Adiele said while presenting the award, the President of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Wing, Ambassador Austin Obiora, described Valentine Ozigbo as “a role model who has displayed outstanding excellence and enterprise, worthy of commendation and emulation”.

Adiele also quoted Ozigbo, who is a recipient of multiple global awards, as saying the honour meant more to him than any award he has received in the past, as it was one that was conferred on him by his own people.

 

Okungbowa AIWERIE, Asaba

 

THE Delta State Government has changed the resumption date for primary and secondary schools for the second term academic session to January 18.

The state government had earlier directed both public and private schools to resume on January 11.

But a statement by the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Patrick Ukah, on Friday, said schools will now resume Jan. 18.

Delta has recorded a spike in the number of COVID-19 positive cases since the outbreak of the second wave.

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Ukah said with the change of date, boarding students are to return to schools for the second term on Sunday, January 17, 2021.

The statement noted that classes will fully commence on Monday, January 18, 2021.

The commissioner also disclosed that all schools will commence resumption tests Wednesday, January 20.

He added that the resumption tests will form part of continuous assessment for the new term.

The statement enjoined parents and guardians to strictly adhere to the new dates by preparing the pupils

Our Reporter

 

TWO suspects are now in police custody for allegedly issuing fake COVID-19 test results in the name of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), the agency’s Director-General, Prof. Babatunde Salako, said on Friday.

Salako broke the news to reporters against the backdrop of allegations of issuance of fake COVID-19 test results by the institute.

The Lagos State Government first raised the alarm penultimate Friday over sales of fake COVID-19 test results in the state.

The state government said that processes were being put in place to clamp down on both buyers and sellers.

Salako said: “On Dec. 29, 2020, TVC Communications aired a news report entitled ‘How officials issue fake COVID-19 result without test in Nigeria’ wherein it alleged sharp practices at our testing site .

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“As an institute with an unblemished reputation whose vision is promotion of national health and development, it raises a serious concern that our efforts are being sabotaged.

“We immediately set up an investigative committee headed by Prof. Stella Smith, to come up with facts on the truism or otherwise of the allegation.

“A thorough investigation by the committee revealed that two individuals who were neither staff nor agents of NIMR are behind the issuance of the fake results without testing.

“The suspects namely Enoch Basyan and Fazing Binrah were caught in the act while trying to do COVID-19 test for one of our staff who acted as a patient at the front of a bank at Isolo.

“The suspects are currently at Aswani Police Station and will face the law.”