₦airaland Forum

Bye

Two members of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the House of Representatives on Thursday resigned their membership from the ruling party.

The lawmakers announced their resignation in two separate letters to the green chambers which were read on the floor of the House by Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

This came less than 24 hours after another two members of the APC in the House – Babatunde Kolawale (Ondo) and Mukaila Kazzim (Ogun) – announced their resignation from the party.

The members, who left the party at Thursday plenary, are Ahmed Abu and Friday Olemija.

Abu, who represents Mokwa/Edati/Lavun Federal Constituency in Niger State, defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), while Olemija, who represents Akoko North East‎/North West Federal Constituency of Ondo State, left for the Action Alliance (AA).

In their letters, both lawmakers made references to irreconcilable issues relating to the party’s primaries as part of the reasons for the resignation and defection.

The legislators said after due consultations with their constituents, it was time for them to part ways with the APC. (NAN)

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/again-2-reps-members-dump-apc.html

The Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is to kick-start his campaign for 2019 general election through an address to Nigerians on Facebook on Monday.

A statement issued by Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation, on Saturday in Abuja, said that Abubakar would use the address to launch his policy document.

“In his address, the PDP presidential candidate will present his vision for Nigeria and his action plan to achieve it as encapsulated in his policy document ”

The organisation said that the decision of Abubakar to kick-start his presidential campaign with the launch of his policy document is to reiterate his commitment to run an issue-based campaign.

“The intention is to take our policy directly to Nigerians and to register the belief of Abubakar that it will take the collective efforts of every Nigerian to rebuild the country.

“That is why we want Nigerians to access the policy directly and ultimately take ownership of it,”the statement said.

It added that the campaign of the organisation would offer a simple message: “united, the people of Nigeria can begin anew, creating a prosperous and secure future and a better life for every Nigerian.”

It stated that on the first working day of the campaign, the PDP and its candidate, Abubakar would put forward his plan to get Nigeria working again.

“We have chosen to do this by having the PDP Presidential candidate speaking directly to the Nigerian people on Facebook.

“This medium came about as part of the telecommunications revolution that he helped start as Vice President in 1999-2007.

“We have also chosen to have our candidate speak online as it facilitates the ability for anyone to download a copy of his policy document at no cost, as we intend this to be the policy of every Nigerian.

“Our policy document focuses on creating jobs, ensuring security, growing business, developing power and water infrastructure, agriculture and education and how we will empower women.

“Our policies outline the goals and methods for developing and revitalising Nigeria as the foundation of our campaign.

“This policy document is being launched to encourage a dialogue with the people of Nigeria, inviting everyone to join us in helping to get Nigeria working again.”

It said that Abubakar looked forward to conducting vital discussions as he travels across the length and breadth of Nigeria, meeting and talking with stakeholders.

The stakeholders according to the organisation, include famers, small business people, workers, students, mothers, and children.

“We recognise that this will be a vigorous and hard fought election. We are completely confident that with peaceful, free and fair elections, we will be victorious.”(NAN)

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/2019-atiku-kicks-off-campaign-with-peoples-policy-launch-on-monday.html

Fati Muhammed is one of the strongest female artistes the Kannywood movie industry has ever produced. The actress, who has been missing from the screen for a while, recently resurfaced with a huge crowd of the industry members under a political platform called Kannywood Support Forum for Atiku. In this interview she talks about her absence from the industry and her political involvement, among other issues.


Weekend Magazine: You have been missing from Kannywood for years. Where have you been?

Fati Muhammed: I have been very much around and in constant contact with the industry. The only thing is that I have changed roles. I no longer appear in movies but I do produce movies. In a nutshell I am a movie producer now, as against what I was known for which is acting. Moreover, Kannywood will forever remain my domain. It is my home, my pride and it is everything to me. Whatever I have become today I believe one way or the other is it connected with Kannywood.

WM: Is it true that you have ventured into full time politics?


Fati: Yes, I am into politics, but that does not mean I have left the industry. Being in politics is all about interest and the confidence one has to effect change for the better. Currently I am the North-West campaign coordinator of Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Presidential candidate, former vice president Atiku Abubakar.

This is a position given to me based on what people believe I can do and as I have said earlier it is all about interest. Similarly, we have formed a forum in the Hausa movie making industry which we called Kannywood Support Forum for Atiku. We have lined up campaign programmes that we wish to carryout throughout the 36 of the federation.

WM: Recently, we have seen a section of Kannywood pledging support for President Buhari and another for Atiku. Does this mean Kannywood is divided between the two parties?

Fati: No, we are not divided. We are just like family and party affiliation is just an issue of interest and as free Nigerians, everybody is entitled to his or her own political interest. It is good to note here that, we all have our individual different interests in regards to who we believe will uplift the industry to a greater height.

I want to state here that, Kannywood as a movie industry is not divided by Atiku or Buhari politics, we are just exercising our constitutional right and we will all come back some day to work together after all has been said and done. Politics is something and Kannywood is another thing that binds us all as brothers and sisters.

WM: How would you rate this new political development in Kannywood?

Fati: This is indeed a positive development and a plus to the Hausa movie industry. It is a good gesture that in the present democratic dispensation Kannywood artistes are being considered as relevant people whose contributions are now being seen as very vital in achieving policies and other relevant governmental engagement. Unlike before, when Kannywood artistes were used as mere political campaign tools that will only be relevant during campaigning periods. It will be good to say that, presently our artistes have been recognised as important personalities who can effect positive change in the Nigerian polity. You can see, I that I have been made a coordinator of a presidential candidate and others have been appointed to other positions elsewhere.

This is indeed a tremendous achievement recorded in the history of Kannywood. It is indeed a sign that what we have been doing all these years have been recognised and appreciated.

WM: Tell us what this Kannywood support forum for Atiku is presently doing?

Fati: It is a forum of Kannywood actors, actresses, producers and directors who have confidence that Atiku Abubakar will do better for Nigeria. We have done a lot of radio and video jingles, hosting radio talk shows among other things.

We are also planning a tour to all the 36 states of the federation to campaign for our candidate. However, as I have made mentioned earlier, we are fighting no one, it is all about interest and what we believe is the best for the nation.

The forum has prominent Kannywood members like Shu’aibu Kumurci, Hafizu Bello, Kamal S. Alkali, Abba El-Mustapha, Ladi Mutu Ka Raba, Lilisco and Maryam CTV, among others.

WM: How do you feel being on the other side of the movie industry?

Fati: I feel normal. We relate with those on the other side with respect and humility. We are one big family and political interests won’t change that. We still maintain our cordial relationship as colleagues and that is what matters.

We are not oblivion of the fact that, we will still come back together as colleagues after all these political tussles, therefore we are very careful in not allowing our political differences to temper with our profession’s relationship.

WM: What do you want to tell your fans?

Fati: I want to use this opportunity to tell my fans that, Fati Muhammad has never left them even for a day and that they should continue to support the industry in all ways that they can. I also want to tell my fans that, our political inclination is in the interest of a better Nigeria. We strongly believe that what we stands for will surely bring to us the needed change.

Therefore we sort for their support and encouragement; we are sure that whatever the situation may turn out to be we will still have a strong Kannywood movie industry.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kannywood-artistes-are-not-divided-by-atiku-buhari-politics-fati-muhammed.html

The McPherson University (McU) said it is giving tuition free scholarships to undergraduates enrolled in its religious studies programme.

At the pre-convocation press briefing at its campus in Seriki Sotayo, Ogun State, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adeniyi Agunbiade said despite funding issues, the university has been giving scholarships and defraying students’ tuitions in other programmes.

Agunbiade said the university now in its sixth year and preparing for its third convocation wad keying into corporate social responsibility around its host communities.

“All of our students irrespective of their faiths or backgrounds are enjoying subsidy as much as half of what they are meant to pay. The Foursquare Gospel Church is paying that.

“Then we have scholarships for some of the academically sound students and for those that came through the church, they also enjoy N100,000 reduction in their tuitions. We also ensure that it is tuition free for all those who are into the religion studies,” the Vice Chancellor said.

Prof. Agunbiade added that the impacts of such scholarships are becoming manifest as more Secondary school leavers with Right qualifications are picking up the varsity’s admission forms while it’s graduands are consistently recording excellence in professional examinations and are becoming sought-after in labour market.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/varsity-waives-tuition-for-students-of-religious-studies.html

The trial of Maryam Sanda, accused of killing her husband Bilyamin Bello, yesterday resumed with the police calling three additional witnesses to prove her guilt.

Maryam was docked alongside her brother, Aliyu Sanda, her mother, Maimuna Aliyu and one Sadiya, who were accused of assisting her to conceal the evidence by cleaning the blood of the deceased from the scene of the crime. They pleaded not guilty.

At the resumed hearing yesterday, one of the witnesses, Hamza Abdullahi, who identified as a laundry man close to the house Maryam and her deceased husband lived, said he was called to the scene of the crime by the deceased and when he got there, he found him clutching his chest but unable to speak.

He said while trying to raise him up Maryam came out of the house and asked them (with two others) to help her take him into the car after which the deceased was first taken to Maitama Clinic and that when they got there, the doctor on duty asked Maryam about three times what happened to her husband but she did not respond.

He said due to her refusal to explain what happened to her husband, the doctor asked them to take the deceased to another hospital, adding that they then took the deceased to Maitama General Hospital.

Abdullahi, who was testifying as the second prosecution witness, said doctors at the general hospital equally asked the wife what happened to her husband, saying that it was only there she explained what happened to the deceased.

“She said they were fighting since morning, adding that she took a knife and her husband was trying to collect the knife from her and the knife mistakenly stabbed him,” he said.

Another witness, ASP Samuel Okon, said he got a distress call from Maitama General Hospital on November 19, 2017 at about 3:45am.

“On arrival, I saw Maryam standing close to the body of her husband. The body of the man was covered with a veil. I removed the veil and took some photographs. I also took custody of the accused person by handing her over to my colleagues,” he stated.

He said while the body of the deceased was taken to the mortuary for preservation for autopsy, Maryam was taken to the police station where she volunteered her statement.

“In her statement, she wrote that she had a misunderstanding with her husband. She wrote that she broke Shisha bottle and because the floor was slippery, he fell on the broken bottle,” ASP Okon said.

He added that he later visited the scene of the crime and saw some broken bottle in the sitting room but there was no stain of blood where she claimed the fighting took place.

“I came back to the office to prepare for autopsy but the relatives of the deceased put up an application, demanding for the release of the corpse for burial according to Islamic tradition. The corpse was released to them,” he stated.

Under cross examination, the police officer said he did not recover any other thing from the scene of crime apart from broken bottles.

The third witness, Usman Aliyu, said when they were coming from the hospital that night, they saw Maryam’s mother, Maimuna, heading for the house of the couple, instead of going to the police station.

Testifying as the fourth prosecution witness, Aliyu said he and one Alhassan (first prosecution witness) followed her to the house where they met a policeman with one other person outside.

“When we entered inside, Maryam’s mother and elder brother, Aliyu were upstairs. We discovered that the Shisha pot was in order,” he said.

He added that they later went to Maitama Police Station, saying that at about 6:30am, the police asked that they should all go to the house and that when they got to the house, they “found out that the Shisha pot had been broken. The flower vase in the parlour was also broken.”

The witness said that he later learnt that Maryam stated in her statement to the police that Bilyaminu fell on the broken Shisha pot.

Meanwhile, the trial judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu had adjourned the case to November 26 for continuation of hearing.


https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/husband-killing-3-additional-witnesses-testify-against-maryam-sanda.html

The proposed N30,000 minimum wage being considered by the Federal Government may have its obvious highs and lows in shaping the immediate economic.

Daily Trust reports that governors at a meeting on Wednesday picked holes in the increment arguing that paying the amount could lead to the sack of civil servants.

However, some experts have provided their viewpoints on this.

The Managing Partner, Trispeed Consulting, Mr. Rislanudeen Muhammad, in a chat with our reporter on the issue, said, “Definitely the present minimum wage is not realistic and is out of tune with any economic reality.”

Mr. Muhammad said, “The continued use of the present minimum wage is like adopting social service payment and not wages, which is a price for labour.”

He also said the proposed minimum wage should not necessarily lead to retrenchment of government workers.

He said there is “no need for any retrenchment provided the workers are optimally utilised.”

He noted that the private sector had already been paying well above the minimum wage and that if government refused to pay, labour might go on strike that would destabilise the economy even more.

Some public commentators said the pay raise would come but that it would still be wipped away almost immediately by other economic agents like traders, service providers and landlords who would naturally increase prices of their products and services.

This is because, in the other times when public pay raise was achieved, it left high inflation for the CBN to worry about.

Thus, speaking in monetary policy terms and with the stand of the CBN that unless inflation rate is at least 200 basis point below the MPR, benchmark interest rate will not drop below 14 per cent. So manufacturers and others who need credit will continue to borrow at high interest rates to the detriment of real sector growth.

It may trigger inflation – Prof. Ukpong

A Professor of Finance at the University of Uyo, Leo Ukpong, said Nigeria would record a rapid rise in inflation rate if the Federal Government implements N30, 000 as the country’s minimum wage.

Speaking to Daily Trust yesterday, Prof. Ukpong said a mere announcement of the implementation would push up inflation rate.

The don said high inflation rate would be unavoidable as government’s deliberate monetary policies would not stop the rise in inflation if the proposed minimum wage is implemented.

He said government should have resisted the push to hike the minimum wage and instead invested the money in building factories in communities that would produce essential commodities that would push down prices in markets and give workers more value for their current pay.

He said once the new minimum wage is announced, petty traders, transporters and primary commodity producers would jerk up their prices.

He added that while prices of bigger items like cars and houses might remain unchanged in the short run, small spending would rise, and that based on historical data, a 30 per cent rise in minimum wage would lead to over 100 per cent rise in inflation.

On the contrary, the expert said it would be better if the Federal Government deliberately initiates policies and programme that would lead to 15 per cent drop in prices of commodities in markets than to increase wages by 50 per cent.

Meanwhile, the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) has expressed support for an increase in the nation’s minimum wage to N30, 000.

Private employers kick

Speaking to Daily Trust on the position of private employers in Abuja, the Director General of ACCI, Tonia Shoyele, said the minimum wage was already due for upward review considering the high inflation rate in the country.

Commenting on the ability of private employers to pay if the minimum wage is increased, Shoyele said the minimum wage in ACCI was already above the current minimum wage in the country and that this was an indication that private employers could pay a minimum wage that was competitive in the private sector.

She further said an increase in minimum wage would impact the private sector positively as most of the monies paid to government workers would trickle down to the private sector.

She called on all parties involved to intensify effort to arrive at a minimum wage that will enable workers eke out decent living despite high inflation.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/experts-identify-strengths-pitfalls-for-n30000-minimum-wage.html

All roads led to the Presidency last week as Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello took a time out to visit President Muhammadu Buhari. In his undaunted march to creating a better and prosperous Niger State, alongside with kinsmen, traditional rulers, government functionaries and even members of the opposition, which included Alhaji Babangida Aliyu, the immediate past governor of the state.

Inter alia, the issues of gross infrastructural decay that has fraught the ease of living and economic activities especially as pertaining to road network were tabled before Mr. President during the visit. You would agree that good road is sin qua non to the breakthrough and economic prosperity of any given state.

Recall that, Niger State has a land mass totaling 76,363km2 making it the state with the highest land mass in Nigeria, having occupied 10% of the total Nigerian land mass. It is not unexpected that the State also has the highest number of federal roads in Nigeria, but most of them are more or less like death trap.

Therefore, Lolo’s gesture to see to how to change this narrative through the courtesy visit to Mr. President is a timely and undaunted march in the right direction. Such finesse is rare amongst the democrats of nowadays. It is very important to note that Niger state government bequeathed part of her landed property to the federal capital territory and as such deserves more federal projects to address the inherited infrastructural decay as a result of series of Government misrule and mismanagement of our natural resources, though, it will not be out of place to acknowledge the rehabilitation of some federal roads across the state while more is still needed to ease the transportation of goods and services within and outside the state.

The governor is working in the right direction to move Niger forward and this is worthy of commendation

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/gov-bellos-visit-to-buhari-a-walk-in-the-right-direction.html

Nigerian governors have asked the organised labour to choose between its proposed N30, 000 minimum wage and downsizing of the workforce across the country.

This was contained in the communiqué issued at the end of an emergency meeting by the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) yesterday in Abuja.

The governors said it is impracticable for states to pay N30,000 unless the workers were willing to agree to job cuts or the Federal Government accedes to a review of the national revenue allocation formula.

Reading the communiqué, the chairman of the NGF, Governor Abdul’aziz Yari, said the forum has also put together another committee to meet President Muhammadu Buhari again to work-out another formula towards quickly resolving the minimum wage imbroglio.

Members of the committee include governors of Lagos, Kebbi, Plateau, Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Enugu and Kaduna states.

Governor Yari said the governors’ cooperation is also being sought for Tax for Health services.

Daily Trust reports that the Ama Pepple-led Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage had recommended N30000 national minimum wage in its report submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari last week Tuesday.

‘Our offer not taken by tripartite committee’

But answering questions from journalists, Governor Yari said “We have seen what has been presented to the president by the committee. As a member of the committee Kebbi State Governor said the committee did not take our submission of N22,500 because it came late. I am surprised how you can do this without the input of the states, because the states are the key stakeholders in this business. So a situation whereby our report is not taken or considered by the tripartite committee to present to the president then I don’t know how the committee want us to work.

“But we still say we want to pay but the issue is the ability to pay. If we say no, it is not about the ability to pay, just pay, I don’t know how this formula will come and I don’t know how we can get solution to the issue.

“The N18,000 today, when the president assumed office 27 states were not able to pay, not that they chose not to pay. So now that you say N30,000, how many of them can pay? We will be bankrupt.

“So as Nigerians we should look at the issue seriously. While other people are saying that governors are flying private jet and living in affluence, that one is not luxury but compulsory.

“The issue of government overhead cost if you put it together with personnel cost, it cannot solve this problem. Like Lagos that is paying about N7 billion as salaries if you say it should pay N30,000, now it will be N13 billion. From our calculation, it is only Lagos State that will be able to pay N30,000. As Nigerians, this is our country, there is no other country we have and we should be fair to this country.”

Asked the way forward, Yari said the governors would continue to talk with Labour, to let them see reasons why governors have difficulties.

“Some of us have Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). For instance, the money Lagos State is using to pay is not coming from Abuja. They have a way of getting their money from the IGR and that is why they can afford to pay. They get money through VAT. Apart from Lagos, even Rivers cannot afford to pay. So we have been crying out about this since 2011 but no one will listen.

“One critical example is that some state ration their salaries while some others put everything they earn on the table and ask labour to come and see and they ask them to suggest how much should go for capital and personnel cost. Some say 70 percent for personnel cost and 30 percent for capital projects and yet the states cannot pay and they put the remaining as outstanding.

“If you are talking about oil, the price is not what it used to be, from last year to date, it is $20 less from $75 to $55. So where is the money to pay?

“We should not exploit this matter further; we are leaders today, tomorrow others will be there. So let us look at this matter seriously to see how we can do it properly. It is our primary responsibility to see that everybody is happy.”

When reminded that part of labour grouse was that governors have refused to submit audited account, the NGF chairman said, “we have given the committee audited account of the states to guide them. But if they put the audited account for the past 10-14 years, can you get something out of it? We are going to use the report of the audited committee to make further presentation.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had said that it would not to accept anything less than the N30,000 recommended to the president by the Tripartite Committee. It also gave December as deadline for all processes leading to the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage else they will embark on industrial action.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/choose-between-n30000-and-job-cuts-govs-tell-labour.html

A former Speaker of House of Representatives and Ogun State Governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Dimeji Bankole has promised to tackle mass unemployment if elected as the governor of the state in 2019.

Bankole said as governor, he would not concentrate on construction of bridges at the expense of teeming jobless youths.


The governorship candidate who disclosed this during a tour of Imeko-Afon local government area of the state, lamented over the bad condition of roads in Imeko and its environs.

He claimed that the condition of the roads in the area was deteriorating, saying the current administration had done more harm than good to the people of the local government.

The governorship candidate also paid a visit to the traditional ruler of Imeko-Afon local government, Oba Benjamin Oyeditan.

Bankole assured the monarch of mass employment opportunities for the youth of the local government.

He said “I will not stop saying it, mass employment is our watchword. We cannot open our eyes and watch the youth being jobless. I can’t promise what I cannot do. I want to assure the people of Ogun State that if elected as the next governor of the state, I will make sure I provide jobs for the youth because our youth need job to live on.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ill-create-mass-employment-in-ogun-says-dimeji-bankole.html

hmmm

Too bad

abdazzling:
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have intercepted gold worth about N211 million being illegally transported through the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.
EFCC Acting Head, Media and Publicity, Tony Orilade, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.
Mr Orilade said the consignment was en route Dubai.
He said “following intelligence reports, the operatives on Nov. 9, 2018 uncovered the gold weighing about 35kg just at the point of departure of a suspect currently in the EFCC’s custody.”
He said that investigations were currently ongoing to unravel the accomplice behind the illegal movement of the item.
“Meanwhile, the suspect is cooperating with operatives.
“It will be recalled that the EFCC also in March 2017, intercepted bags containing a total of N49 million cash being illegally transported out of the country through the Kaduna International Airport,” Orilade said. (NAN)

good

The Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, yesterday, alleged that Sen. Hope Uzodinma is desperate to become governor because of the immunity the office will give him against prosecution.

Gov. Okorocha also denied insinuations that he was behind Uzodinma’s travails, saying the incidents for which he was being investigated predated his (Okorocha’s) ascendancy to the governorship of Imo State.

He said in saner climes Uzodinma should have resigned his position in the Senate instead of seeking to be governor.

Okorocha, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, said, “Chief Hope Uzodinma who is doing all he could to become Governor of Imo State in 2019 and who the National Chairman of the (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has thrown up as the governorship candidate of the party in Imo, does not want to become governor to actually govern the state but to enjoy immunity to enable him escape from the criminal trials he is facing at the moment.

“And these are matters that had happened years before now and they have nothing to do with Rochas Okorocha, and the governor has no record of witch-hunting in his political life and in his life generally. He is too godly to think evil against anyone.

“So, Chief Uzodinma is desperate to govern Imo State through the assistance of men like Adams Oshiomhole to evade the criminal trials he is already facing. His idea is that once he becomes governor he would be leveraging on the immunity provision to evade these trials.

“No doubt Imo APC would be doing itself a disservice if it allows Chief Uzodinma to be its flag-bearer in the 2019 governorship election. Imo people do not treat such issues with kid gloves and that was why they declared war against 419 fraudsters in 1996,” he added.

Okorocha said Uzodinma should be advised to withdraw from the governorship race and also quit politics to enable him face his trials.

On his part, Okorocha’s son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, has said he was sure of “reclaiming his mandate” as APC gubernatorial candidate in Imo State before the December 1, 2018, window for substitution of candidates expires.

Nwosu, speaking at the Sam Mbakwe Airport yesterday on arrival from Abuja, dismissed as unfounded, reports that he was defecting from APC to another political party where he hoped to actualise his ambition.

Nwosu, who is laying claim to the governorship ticket of the party in the state, said he won the primary held on October 6.

“The records are very clear. I won the first primary election on October 2. I also won the second primary held on October 6. The records are there. The police, INEC and DSS reports affirmed my victories,” he said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/uzodinma-wants-to-be-gov-to-evade-arrest-okorocha.html

The House of Representatives yesterday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to dismiss and prosecute the Director-General of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mustapha Maihaja, for diverting N33billion North East Food Security Emergency Intervention Fund.

The resolution followed the consideration of report of the House Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness chaired by Ali Isa (PDP, Gombe) on the “need to investigate the violation of public trust in NEMA and approve recommendations therein.”

The report and recommendations were disclosed in a Committee of the Whole chaired by Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun (APC, Osun).

“Based on the investigation conducted by the Committee, it has been established that the Federal Government of Nigeria lost over N33 billion as a result of mismanagement or outright embezzlement occasioned by the actions or inactions of the NEMA DG, Mustapha Yinusa Maihaja.

“It is consequently recommended that Mr. Maihaja be relieved of his duties by President Muhammadu Buhari and be handed over to the relevant agencies for prosecution,” the report read in part.

It also recommended that the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recover another N1.15bn from the NEMA DG.

The report also condemned the inefficiency of NEMA and the Ministry of Budget and National Planning for the long delay in clearing 6,779 metric tonnes of rice donated by the Chinese government to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North East.

It said six NEMA Directors, namely Akinbola Hakeem, Alhassan Nuhu, Emenike Umesi, Mohammed Kannar, Mamman Ibrahim and Deji Ganiyu be immediately reinstated by the agency and all their entitlements paid.

On the receipt and utilization of N1.6bn meant for flood victims, the Committee directed further probe of Maihaja and the recovery of N700m from him by relevant agencies.

Meanwhile, NEMA has rejected the report of the House of Representatives which indicted it of poor management of relief items meant for 16 states.

It said some of the findings and conclusions presented by the House Committee did not reflect the facts and documents placed before it by NEMA.

The agency made its position known in a statement last night.

“The House of Representatives, at its sitting of 8th November 2018, which was aired live on the Nigerian Television Authority received the Report of the House Committee on Emergency and Preparedness Response on the alleged violation of public trust against the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

“We were shocked to hear some of the findings and conclusions presented by the Committee on the issues, which did not reflect the facts and documents placed before it by NEMA.

“While we shall in due course be making a more comprehensive response to all the points made, it is most important to clarify the following:

“On the Port Clearance and Transportation of Emergency Food Assistance by Chinese Government, the Federal Government received a total of 6,779MT of Rice for IDPs in the North East as donation by the Chinese Government. This amounted to 271 containers, which arrived Apapa Ports between June and October 2017.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/n33bn-fraud-reps-seek-sack-prosecution-of-nema-boss.html

school feeding programme, conditional cash transfer, N-Power and Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) since the inception of its Social Investment Programme in 2016.

The Special Adviser to the President on Social Investment Programmes, Maryam Uwais, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja

She said the federal government is now feeding over 9,300,892 children in 49,837 government schools in 26 States.

Uwais said the Home Grown Feeding Programme currently going on in public schools requires 6.8million eggs, 594 cattle and 83 metric tons of fish to be supplied to the cooks for the feeding of the children weekly.
She further said there is also a boost in the production and supply of rice, wheat, soya beans, orange -flesh potatoes, fruit and vegetable farmers.

She said the programme is also aimed at empowering communities has seen to the engagement of 96, 972 cooks with over a 100,000 small scale farmers being part of the value chain supplying the locally sourced ingredients.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/fg-expends-n250bn-on-school-feeding-n-power-others.html

The Presidency has criticised the concocted controversy over President Muhammadu Buhari’s position on proposed N30,000 by some political actors to score cheap political goals, saying “stiff judgment awaits them at the polls’’.

Mr Femi Adesina, made the condemnation in a statement in Abuja on Thursday while reacting to comments apparently made by the Atiku media office.

In a statement issued by his media office, Atiku had allegedly claimed that “President Buhari cannot be trusted to implement the ‘new’ minimum wage of N30, 000’’ recommended by the Pepple tripartite committee.

Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said “Buhari may not have the political will to implement the new wage’’.

However, Adesina said: “Those who have latched onto the concocted controversy to play cheap politics, we appeal to them to remember that elections are not won through loquaciousness, and trying to demean the President at every drop of a hat.

“But then, it is not surprising, as they have nothing else to sell to Nigerians, if they don’t ride on the name of the President. Stiff judgment awaits them at the polls.’’

The presidential aide therefore frowned at the recurring reports alleging that Buhari had reneged on earlier acceptance of the N30,000 recommended as the new National Minimum Wage by the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee.

He noted that these reports were contrary to what transpired on Tuesday when the committee presented its Report to the President.

He said the president, while acknowledging the concerns raised by government on affordability and labour’s focus on meaningful increase, stated clearly in a speech, which was made available to the media that: “In a way, both arguments are valid. I want to assure you all that we will immediately put in place the necessary machinery that will close out these open areas.

“Our plan is to transmit an Executive Bill to the National Assembly for passage within the shortest possible time. I am fully committed to having a new National Minimum Wage Act in the very near future.

“As the Executive Arm commences its review of your submission, we will continue to engage you all in closing any open areas presented in this report. I, therefore, would like to ask for your patience and understanding in the coming weeks.”

Adesina observed that: “From the above, and throughout the report-submission ceremony, the President never mentioned any figure. What he committed himself to was a new minimum wage, and only after the Report of the committee has been reviewed by the executive and legislative processes of government and an appropriate bill presented to him for assent.

“Until the proposed minimum wage has gone through the whole gamut of law-making, President Buhari, who is a stickler for due process, will not be caught in this unnecessary web of controversy, which amounts to putting the cart before the horse and hair-splitting.’’

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/minimum-wage-saga-stiff-judgment-awaits-you-at-polls-presidency-tells-atiku-group.html

A passenger with Etihad Airways, Mr. Ademola Adekele, in the early hours of Wednesday slumped and died at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, our reporter learnt.

The diseased passenger was supposed to be checked-in on flight EY674 (AUH) which was to depart at 09:55hrs when he slumped, according to a witness at the airport.

This is just as power outage on Wednesday evening temporarily crippled operations at the airport. The power glitch which lasted for almost 30 minutes happened when an aircraft arrived for disembarking of passengers.

It was gathered that the passenger who arrived the airport early in the morning, slumped and gasped for breath, while he was in a sitting position at about 5:30am.

It was learnt that immediately he slumped, an unnamed passenger tried vigorously to revive him by pumping his chest.

However, a source said he was too weak and could not respond to the first aid administered on him before the arrival of the Port Health officials at the airport.

The source said it took about 30 minutes before the officials of Port Health could arrive at the scene of the incident.

The Port Health officials reportedly applied oxygen on him in a bid to revive him but he was said to have passed away.

Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) ambulance arrived at the scene to move the remains of the diseased to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) for proper medical checks where he was also confirmed dead.

It will be recalled that last Sunday, another passenger of African World Airlines (AWA) slumped at the same airport, but was later revived by the officials of Port Health service at the airport.

Spokesperson of FAAN, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu and spokesman of Lagos Airport Police command, Joseph Alabi confirmed the incident.

Also, the FAAN spokesperson confirmed the power outage which she said was immediately restored though the cause of the outage could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report.

The issue of power outage has become a recurring issue at the airport.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/passenger-slumps-dies-at-lagos-airport.html

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said the Presidency and West African Examinations Council (WAEC) are deceiving Nigerians on President Muhammadu Buhari’s WASC certificate.

The party in a statement yesterday signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said what WAEC did was politics, adding it was a tragi-comedy.

“We never expected Mr. President to dramatically come this low because you cannot have a certificate and be calling it an attestation. What are they attesting to? We stand by our position that Mr. President has no school certificate.

“It’s simply a political certificate. We have said that the Buhari presidency and his handlers are always fretting at the mention of a certificate. So, they want to mislead Nigerians to say that Mr. President has a school certificate.

“If Mr. President has a certificate, why did he not use it in 2015 election? Why is the certificate suddenly emerging few months to the election?

“And have you checked the photograph that was attached to the certificate? In 1961, was it the requirement of WAEC to have a passport attached to school certificate? Even in our own generation, is it a condition in WAEC that you must submit your passport to be attached to your certificate? They should come off it. It’s too low.

“You remember the procured Martin Luther Award presented to our president which later was discovered to be fake? This is a similar award, procured. We are waiting for the story of its declaration as another procured document,” the PDP said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/presidency-waec-deceiving-nigerians-pdp.html

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A lawyer has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to hold Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe, Femi Fani-Kayode and others to account for the disappearance of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

The lawyer, Isaiah Agidi Ayugu, wants the court to order the investigation and prosecution of the individuals over the escape of Kanu from Nigeria.

The lawyer also accused other individuals like Kanu’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, and his siblings Emmanuel Kanu, Uchechi Kanu, and sureties, Tochukwu Uchendu, Emmanuel Shallow Ben.

He said the individuals alleged that Kanu was killed by soldiers on September 14, 2017, but Kanu appeared in Israel from where he surfaced to make a broadcast.

The suit filed by his lawyer, Oghenovo Otemu, claimed that the outlawed IPOB was stockpiling arm to truncate the 2019 general election.

No date has been fixed for hearing.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/biafra-lawyer-seeks-prosecution-of-sen-abaribe-fani-kayode-others.html

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Mr Usman Gur Mohammed is the Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and also Chairman, West African Power Pool’s (WAPP) Executive Board. In this interview, he explains how the public utility will utilise a $1.57bn (about N567.3 billion) multilateral funding to raise grid capacity to 20,000MW in four years.



You have been at TCN for over one year. Are there plans to expand the grid soon?

The first motivation for me to come to serve Nigeria is because of the president. The president was my governor in Borno State when I was in primary school and we know what he represents. We have always been learning from his qualities. So I am one of the Buhari students for leadership training.

When we came in February 2017, we inherited a TCN that was managed by Manitoba Hydro International (MHI) which has handled it for four years and Nigeria paid over $23 million for the three years it managed TCN. For one year, it means they had to pay one third of the money. But MHI mismanaged TCN to the extent that the company was at the point of total collapse.

We established the Transmission Rehabilitation and Expansion Programme (TREP). That programme contained four things that will stabilise and make the grid a modern one. The first is about achieving frequency control. Since June 2017, we have achieved frequency control of 49.5 Hertz (Hz) and 50.5Hz. This has not been achieved in the history of Nigeria; in the last 20.

The second is spinning reserve. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) approved a competitive procurement of spinning reserve and we have advertised the procurement of 300 megawatts (MW) of spinning reserve. The ultimate should be 450MW; when we get 300MW, we will now increase it by another 150MW.



What are the other strategies for improved transmission?

The next thing is functional Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA). Nigeria has failed attempts to have a functional SCADA three times. The last one was between 2006 and 2007, I was in the Project Management Unit (PMU) of TCN when the World Bank financed it and Nigeria spent about $46 million. But the SCADA that was completed had significant deficiencies that it cannot see more than 40 per cent of the network. As part of this programme, we established a review committee and held a conference in Abuja. The finding showed that we cannot start the procurement of the SCADA until we fix our communication backbone.

We also need to have critical investments in lines and substations and put N-1 which means having extra capacity to take in emergency. We have raised enough money ($1.57bn - N567.3 billion) to expand the grid to 20,000MW by 2021. We have also gotten programmes to enable us attract the best companies that will implement our projects. We are on track and TCN staff are highly motivated to do this job.



TCN has commissioned 29 transformers in about 16 months. How was this achieved?

We have raised $1.57bn from donors but that money is not flexible as it cannot finance a contract that somebody has awarded in the past. We looked at what we can do differently and we discovered that many contracts can be done by TCN engineers. The best and hardworking staff in Nigeria are in TCN. There are still some bad eggs spoilt by Manitoba Hydro, but majority are good engineers.



You have attracted the highest funding to TCN. Is it because you work with AfDB?

It is not because I am from African Development Bank (AfDB). My core area of competence is in contract management and I have been doing that before I went to AfDB. I have worked in the power sector for over 17 years and I was part of the reforms and the initiatives in the sector.

The only option is the multilateral donor funding; it is an area I know very well and the Federal Ministry of Finance was key to this funding sources and gave me all the cooperation I needed.

But before the donors could give money, they need to see the level of transparency at TCN. For the years that Manitoba Hydro spent, there was no audit of TCN - since 2012 when it was created. We worked hard to deliver the audit and there was about three days that I slept in the office to achieve this and we delivered 2012 to 2016 audit; the donors became comfortable with us after that.

Before we came, this place was just a farm. We had about 800 containers stranded but as at last week, we have recovered 696 containers and taken them to the sites where the projects were stalled.



TCN is managing a N72 billion fund to improve some distribution networks. Did TCN consult the DisCos before implementing that?

It is not the DisCos that say they don’t know about it. It is their association and we don’t deal with them because we have no agreement with them. The investment is an intervention by the Federal Government because of the failure of the DisCos to perform which is creating problems in the system. Government has 40 per cent share in the DisCos and the modality for repayment, whether as loans of shares for government, has not been concluded. But N72bn is small money compared with the investment needs of the DisCos.

When we did the investment requirement for TREP, we simulated that of the DisCos to be able to pick more load and they require over $4 billion investment for their injection substations.

However, we are working with all the DisCos where the project is situated because they know their networks.



Some energised TCN transformers are not serving consumers because the DisCos haven’t connected to them. Is that true?

The DisCos, like TCN, should reduce their excess cost and mismanagement and put the money in investment. There are some DisCos that have not installed their transformers under the NEGIP World Bank programme that started before the privatisation. Only about two transformers under TCN are undergoing installation, but that of the DisCos, none has been installed after the privatisation. Go to Niger Republic and see their networks, we give them 90 per cent of their electricity; what of Benin Republic and Togo where we give 80 per cent electricity, but they have stable electricity supply.



Some GenCos are benefitting from the eligible customer policy. Has TCN keyed into this policy?

Some DisCos are kicking against the eligible customer policy but in 2015 when NERC transferred the 132KV and 33KV customers from TCN to the DisCos, they did not complain because they were happy. From the Electric Power Sector Reform Act 2005 (EPSRA), a DisCo is any network other than 330/132KV network; hence that transfer was illegal but because it favoured them, they were happy.

Our Transmission Use of System (TUOS) is with Mainstream Energy, concessionaire of Kainji and Jebba GenCos who are supplying to five eligible customers. The customers posted Letters of Credit (LC) for three months’ payment in favour of Mainstream and the GenCo posts an LC in our favour to guarantee 100 per cent payment. This agreement has ‘Liquidated Damage’ such that if TCN fails to perform, we have penalty to pay, the same with the GenCo.

The DisCos can also be part of this because some eligible customers will pass through DisCos’ networks, and pay DUOS charges to the DisCo. The policy also provides for Competitive Transition Charge (CTC) to be paid to the DisCos for any revenue loss. What we need from the DisCos is cooperation because there is a win-win situation in this case.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/we-ve-secured-n567bn-to-deliver-20-000mw-electricity-tcn-boss-mohammed-267795.html

Former Kano State Governor, Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso, will officially declare his presidential ambition for the 2019 election on Wednesday, a statement by the Kwankwaso Presidential Campaign Committee, has said.

The statement, signed by a member of the committee Mr Taiwo Adekanla, was released in Abuja on Monday.

It said that Kwankwaso, a senator representing Kano Central, would join the presidential race at a rally to be held at the Eagle Square in Abuja.

The statement said that part of Kwankwaso’s policy direction, if elected, would be massive infrastructural development across the country.

“It is imperative for us to embark on massive infrastructural turn-around across the country.

“This includes the judicious management of the nation’s resources without necessarily mortgaging the future of the country on excessive foreign loans and its attendant burden.

“This will eliminate insecurity in all its forms across the country and return Nigeria to the path of prosperity,” it said.

It listed some of the aspirant’s achievements as governor to include his popular “Free School Feeding Programme’’ and free uniform for primary schools, based on his ‘Kwankwasiyya’ ideology.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that if nominated by his party, it will be Kwankwaso’s second attempt at getting the presidential ticket, but on different political parties’ platforms.

First was in 2014 when he ran against President Muhammadu Buhari and others for the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2015 election. He came second in the contest.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kwankwaso-to-declare-presidential-ambition-in-abuja-wednesday-267757.html

A presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has dismissed the role of money in the race for the party’s presidential ticket.

He told newsmen yesterday in Lagos, that even party members concurred he is the best man, among a dozen aspirants, fit for the job and that he does not need to give them money to get their votes.

Among the aspirants are former vice-president Atiku Abubakar, former governor of Sokoto, Attahiru Bafarawa, former Kano governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso and Gombe governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo. Senate President Bukola Saraki has been on a national tour, ‘consulting’ to join the race.

Makarfi said contrary to certain opinions, money would not determine who picks the PDP ticket, and that money has never been a determinant in who becomes the president of Nigeria.

“When did Nigeria start to produce presidents because of resources? Former presidents Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Dr Goodluck Jonathan and now President Muhammadu Buhari, did not become presidents based on money.

“In one of the Southwest states I visited, a member said other aspirants have been giving them money and gifts, but I don’t have to give them money or gifts to vote for me in the primaries because they know I am the best man for the job,” he said.

Makarfi said he was confident of picking the party’s ticket for the 2019 election.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Makarfi, a former governor of Kaduna State who also served as the chairman, PDP National Caretaker Committee, is now one of the over 12 presidential aspirants of the party.

The PDP aspirant, who just concluded meetings with PDP members in the Southwest, said his exceptional performance as chairman of the caretaker committee would give him an upper hand at the primaries.

“PDP has become a beautiful bride because of what I did. The party was considered dead until I came in as chairman of the caretaker committee and turned it round.

“No other presidential aspirant in the party has my pedigree. I have been assured of becoming the groom by members who are aware of those efforts and have sworn they will not sell their votes at the primaries.

“Since I joined the PDP, I have never left the party.

“My experience as a member of the Senate committee on finance for eight years is also an advantage. I will bring the experience to bear when I pick the ticket and emerge as president,” he said.

Makarfi said he had plans to adopt in order to curtail herders-farmers clashes if he gets the party’s ticket and is elected president of Nigeria at a stakeholder visit he held with leaders of the Lagos State Chapter of the PDP in Lagos over the weekend.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/i-don-t-need-money-to-beat-atiku-others-for-pdp-ticket--makarfi-267601.html

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Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, a presidential aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday said he was confident of picking the party’s ticket for the 2019 election.

Makarfi made the declaration at an interactive session with newsmen in Lagos on Sunday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Makarfi, a former governor of Kaduna State who also served as the Chairman, PDP National Caretaker Committee, is now one of the over 12 presidential aspirants of the party.

The PDP aspirant, who just concluded meetings with PDP members in the Southwest, said his exceptional performance as chairman of the caretaker committee would give him an upper hand at the primaries.

“PDP has become a beautiful bride because of what I did. The party was considered dead until I came in as chairman of the caretaker committee and turned it round.

“No other presidential aspirant in the party has my pedigree. I have been assured of becoming the groom by members who are aware of those efforts and have sworn they will not sell their votes at the primaries.

“Since I joined the PDP, I have never left the party.

“My experience as a member of the Senate committee on finance for eight years is also an advantage. I will bring the experience to bear when I pick the ticket and emerge as president,” he said.

Makarfi said contrary to certain opinions, money would not determine who picks the PDP ticket, and that money has never been a determinant factor in who becomes the president of Nigeria.

On a female vice president, Makarfi said he had wanted a female running mate if he won the primaries, but the person he had in mind declined and opted for a lower responsibility.

“I look forward to seeing a female president not even vice in Nigeria someday. It is time the women stop taking back seats,” he said.

The PDP aspirant, reacting to INEC’s registration of more political parties that brought the number registered to 91, said while it allowed freedom of association, there was need for sanity.

“I know that the major parties will reduce the number via coalitions and MOU’s. However, it is not the duty of political parties to do so,” he added. (NAN)

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-has-become-a-beautiful-bride-because-of-what-i-did-makarfi-267557.html

hmmm

Strong and energetic are understatements, if meant to describe Mrs. Olubunmi Aina, 80. Her unrepentant love for Shooting s Football Club of Ibadan (3sc) earned her the sobriquet, ‘Mama Shooting’, as she’s a staunch fan of the club. She recently celebrated her 80th birthday, with what she describes as her ‘3sc family’ at Adamasingba Stadium, in Ibadan, where she hangs out with her friends, mostly young people, who she encourages and cheers on. On that day, a novelty match was organized to celebrate the super fan’s new age.

Since she became a fan of Shooting Stars Football Club of Ibadan in 1960, she hardly missed any of its matches. An ex-cop, she left the Nigeria Police as a traffic warden decades ago, and relocated to Ibadan with her first child. Since she arrived, Mama Shooting never supported any club, foreign or local, except the Shooting Stars.

Chatting with Daily Trust Saturday, Mrs. Aina said: “I support [the Shooting Stars] because I love them, even though I’m from Lagos State. I have been a fan since my days in the Nigeria Police.”

On her family background, and how she fell in love with football, among other sports, Mrs. Aina said: “Our family house is there in Oshodi Lagos. I love football naturally. I do watch football when our guys were playing in Mafoluku and Ejigbo football field in Lagos back then. I’ve loved their performances in those days, and that’s why I fell in love with them. Since then, I have been supporting them, till I got married and relocated to Ibadan in 1965 with my firstborn.”

Chief Coach of the Shooting Stars, Olumide Edith Agoye, described Mama Shooting as a mother, and great supporter of the team. “The Shooting Stars is an institution, and one of the things that make it so, is the strong support we have. We had another super fan, called Baba Eleran, who unfortunately is no more. His replacement, so to speak, is Mrs. Aina, best-known as Mama Shooting,” he said.

The coach told Daily Trust Saturday that he joined the Shooting Stars in August 1992 as a player. “And I can tell you that since then, she has been a fantastic fan, with very good and cordial relationships with players, the coaching crew, and the management of the team. All she wants from the players is good performance,” he said.

Coach Agoye continued: “If you can give her good results, you have made her day. If you refuse to play well, or you are the cause of our defeat, expect to see other side of Mama. She is a fantastic mother, jovial and accommodating. She encourages us with prayers. She does not stop at football performances, but she asks after our families. Whenever she sees your children or your wife, she appreciates them.”

Team Manager of the Shooting Stars, and former Nigerian international star, Dimeji Lawal, described Mama Shooting as a mother of all. “Apart from being passionate our team, which I believe to be the foremost thing in her life, she sees every member of the team as her family member. She is a good mother to us all, and while she is not rich, she is always ready to support,” he told Daily Trust Saturday.

Kit Manager of the Shooting Stars, Alhaji Ganiyu Bello, who has been supporting the team for four decades now, told Daily Trust Saturday that Mama Shooting’s loyalty to the team earned her a job in 1993.

On the recent poor outing of her favourite team, Mrs. Aina said there was no money in the purse of the state football team, which led to their lacklustre performance. “Football is money,” she told Daily Trust Saturday, matter-of-factly. “There is no money for them to perform as before.” She distinguished two former military governors who had contributed greatly to the performance of the club in the past. saying the team recorded tremendous improvement then. To her, if football administrators mean business, they should be ready to support footballers financially.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/i-m-crazy-about-football-80-year-old-grandma-declares-264124.html

DT: How does it feel being the overall best graduating student?

Asmau: I am still not sure how I feel about this. It is overwhelming. I knew I had the best scores in some courses but being the best graduating student is something I’m still finding difficult to process.

DT: So, you never expected to graduate with such outstanding result?

Asmau: Medical students do not really think of their graduation the way other students think of theirs. We write four professional exams throughout med school. Firstly, the MBBS professional exams in Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry. Secondly, MBBS professional exams in Pathology, Pharmacology and Medical Microbiology and then Part 1 of the final MBBS exams in Pediatrics and Obstetrics & Gynecology and then the Part 2 final MBBS in Surgery, Internal Medicine and Community Medicine.

Passing each of these exams is technically graduating from those courses, so the final exam doesn’t feel that much different. I did not really have any expectations. My approach to any exam was, “Lord, please let me pass and become a medical doctor.”

DT: How hard did you have to study to achieve this result?

Asmau: I can’t really say. I just study whenever I can. The closest thing to a study schedule I used was a list of all the topics I needed to cover before an exam.

DT: What proved to be the most challenging part while you were studying medicine?

Asmau: The greatest challenges I faced in school were procrastination, self-doubt, and anxiety. The first step to achieving anything is to believe you can do it and this is something I still have to remind myself almost every day.

DT: What sort of attention did being one of the smartest students in school come with?

Asmau: We were just doing what we had to do, we did not have time to really think of who’s smarter than who. And from day one, our lecturers kept telling us we are all smart, that was why we could get into med school. So, there was really no attention to handle. The most attention you’ll get is maybe on the class WhatsApp group when a test or exam result is out. And most of the time, nobody even feels smart. There are just too many things we still don’t know. We are medical doctors today because we’ve proven to our examiners that we are safe enough to deal with human lives, not because we are experts in any particular branch of medicine.

DT: Did you always aspire to become a medical doctor?

Asmau: I have always wanted to be a medical doctor. In primary school, it was because I believed doctors were superheroes. In junior secondary school, it was because I thought it would make me cool (I believed that is what smart people do). In senior secondary school, because I could hear my sister, Dr. Hamida Belko, complaining about anatomy and all those weird names of muscles that sounded cool to me. I understood what being a medical doctor really is when I was already in med school, and it just made me love it even more.

DT: How has your family contributed to your success?

Asmau: Without my family; parents, husband, siblings, aunties, uncles and in-laws, I couldn’t have done this. They gave me every kind of support I needed. I am immensely grateful for everything they have done for me; their prayers, words of encouragement, everything.

DT: With the scholarship you have been awarded for your postgraduate studies, what do you intend to study and where?

Asmau: I am not sure yet. I am just praying for the best.

DT: What else would you have studied if not medicine?

Asmau: For a few months in secondary school, I wanted to study mathematics. Solving maths problems gave me joy. There was a time I used to solve maths problems whenever I was bored. I don’t even know what happened to that.

DT: What do you do in your free time?

Asmau: I read novels, tweet, sleep, chat with friends and family or watch old movies

DT: What advice do you have for students who find it tough to cope with their studies?

Asmau: Read hard and pray even harder. In the end, make sure you can look back and say, “At least I tried my best” no matter what happens.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/i-can-t-believe-i-m-best-student-asmau-belko-267393.html