₦airaland Forum

The chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has expressed hope that the recently signed executive order for the autonomy of Houses of Assembly will not be a challenge to governors.

Obasa, who is also the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, said this during a recent edition of Journalists Hangout on Television Continental where the executive order signed by President Muhammadu Buhari granting autonomy to the state legislatures and judiciary was discussed.

Speaking through a phone call, Obasa noted that the governors were carried along in the journey leading to the approval by the President. He added that he was optimistic that the autonomy would be beneficial to the states. Except…


We can move the country forward in the spirit and letter of the constitution, right?
Yes

Do we expect all 36 of you to be on the same page?
Exactly, we are already. We got to this stage because we had been in support of this from the beginning. Let me remind you that there was alteration to the constitution and the process to that was after a review of the National Assembly, certain percentage of the Houses of Assembly had to support the review and that was what led to the alteration of the section 121(3) of the constitution as amended which are now talking about.
Thereafter, Mr. President set up an implementation committee, which I happened to be a member. There were representatives of the judiciary, the Attorney-General of the Federation and the SA on Legislative Matters to the President, Senator Ita Enang. We all agreed and came up with a report which was submitted. We all went to the President and submitted the report. Speakers also visited Mr. President recently to appeal to him to speed up the executive order which we finally received as a gift on Sallah day. So we are all in it together.
We also met with the Governors Forum and a committee was set up by the governors which was headed by Governor Waziri Tambuwal. We met once with the committee before the announcement. So I think we are all in it and it is going to be beneficial to the governors, the speakers and the people of this country. So, I don’t think the governors should see this as a kind of challenge because even the constitution has always made provision for the legislature to be independent of the executive. It is just like putting effect to what we have in the constitution already.

Does that mean you don’t expect a fight-back from the governors now?
I don’t think there should be a reason to fight over this. The judiciary, legislature and the executive should just have understanding. The constitution is so clear about all these. The executive, the judiciary and the legislature have their own interests but there is a connection according to the provisions of the constitution in the sense that the chief judge of a state has to be nominated by the executive and sucjh has to be given backing by the legislature and that also has to be proclaimed by the governor. So we must learn to work together with understanding.

There is a child of circumstance in the whole mix and this is the local government chairman. Is he likely going to enjoy this autonomy very soon?
We believe so. But our take on this, since we practice federalism, is that the tiers should remain two – the centre and the states – while the local governments remain under the states. I think we can strengthen our local governments. The observation made earlier that some governors are taking money away from the local governments can be managed through the state laws and supervision at the state level.
So, there are all kinds of elections in this country and we do not want a situation where the centre would influence the local governments when it comes to elections like it happened during Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime, when he withheld Lagos state’s allocations. We don’t want situations where local governments would be set against states. We can manage it on the state levels.

As part of activities marking his first year in office, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State in this interview reviews his activities in the last one year, stating among other things that revamping the state’s economy, refocusing on agriculture and establishment of the Lagos-Ogun Joint Commission are critical to the states development

Generally, what is your assessment of the state you were elected to govern?
Ogun State is largely agrarian. It has a large expanse of land and covered predominantly by tropical rainforest and has wooded savanna in the northwest. It’s about 16,000 square kilometres. By providence, Ogun State is the Gateway State. By geography, we are the state that is closest to the fifth largest economy on the continent. We share borders with three other states and a neighbouring country, Benin Republic. We have play host to the busiest highway in the country, which is Lagos- Ibadan Expressway.
We have the largest number of industries, so we are landlord to the largest industrial hubs in the country. This means that we have an increased level of economic and commercial activities, including cross-border migration. We are also home to a lot of people, particularly those that cannot find a home in Lagos. We are the expansion corridor to Lagos State. We have an ever increasing population for those that live and work in Ogun or those that live in Ogun and work in Lagos. All these and more make us very vulnerable and make our situation very peculiar.

Unemployment is a major issue confronting the country at the moment. How is your government tackling this menace?
There is an obvious nexus between economic development, unemployment, illiteracy and insecurity. And to this extent, we have launched a lot of initiatives to stimulate the local economy and empower our teeming youths. We set up the Ogun State Public Works Agency to ensure that we have an agency that is able to employ our teeming youths through direct labour as against awarding third party contracts.
The Public Works Agency has since commenced work on all our township roads across the state and employed quite a number of our youths. We have also embarked on the rehabilitation of 236 schools, with one school per ward, using direct labour and engaging our youths. We are giving out small loans to our traders as a means of empowering them.
We set up a job portal. The idea is to determine the number of underemployed and unemployed youths that we have in Ogun State. Within three weeks, that job portal recorded over 110,000 unemployed/underemployed people. We have appealed to businesses operating in the state to please post their job availabilities on the job portal, because it allows that. We are also considering passing a local content law in Ogun State that will stipulate that a certain minimum of companies’ staff must be Ogun State indigenes.
We are also setting up skills acquisition centres across the state. The first one is the tech hub in Kobape, Abeokuta. We have teeming youths that are very ICT-savvy. We can teach them; we can empower them through these centres. We also decided to partner with the Central Bank of Nigeria in the Anchor Borrowers Scheme. The scheme will off take produce from our agricpreneurs. As a state, from our job portal, we decided that we will advertise for those that want to be agricpreneurs and the responses have been very encouraging. To date, we have harvested 10,000 people from our job portal. We have allocated a hectare of land each to them and we gave them the documents attached to the lands.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has provided funding for us for land clearing. CBN will pay them stipends until the harvest. By this, we are turning these boys who are idle hands into agricpreneurs. We plan to engage another 30,000 over the next three months. Our plan is to ensure that over the next two years, we have 200,000 outgrowers in this scheme. We have found few anchors in the area of cassava and maize.

COVID-19 has thrown the global economy into chaos and a developing nation like Nigeria is expected to take serious hits, especially with regard to Internally Generated Revenue, (IGR). Are there any measures in place by your government to cope with post-COVID-19 period?
This is a futuristic government and we have plans well laid-out. Having anticipated the enormity of the economic challenges the prevailing circumstances portend, our government is confident that these measures will sufficiently address them. As a result of the recent global economic challenges resulting from COVID-19 pandemic and the crash in the prices of crude oil, we are taking the following measures to mitigate the imminent reduction in monthly FAAC allocations from the federation account: budget review in line with current realities, restructuring and refinancing of existing loan obligations and processing of new credit facilities to improve the State’s cash flow and take advantage of the more favourable interest rate regime in the country.
Our government has also banned nonessential travels by all civil servants and political appointees. We are creatively shoring up internally generated revenue, eliminating leakages and aggressive cost reduction, especially recurrent cost. Also, we are enhancing accountability and transparency and strengthening the Government Delivery Unit to ensure efficient and effective delivery of projects and policies. Furthermore, government have prioritised capital spending on critical sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, infrastructure, and other projects that will enhance the living standards of the citizenry. Indeed, there is no compromise on our commitment to deliver on our electoral promises as encapsulated in the Building Our Future Together Agenda, regardless of the prevailing economic circumstances.

You recently increased the hazard allowance of health workers in Ogun State and also offered them life insurance. But there are still critical issues begging for attention in the health sector. What have you done in the last one-year and how do you intend to address all remaining challenges?
We are taking a holistic approach to fix that sector. From Primary, Secondary and Tertiary levels, we are recruiting doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, and all other categories and cadres of healthcare professionals. We have started with the renovation and equipping of 236 primary health care centres across all the 236 wards in the State. We are remodeling all the secondary ones and we have given facelift to the Genral Hospitals in Ilaro and Ijaiye, Abeokuta. We have provided state-of-the-art facilities and brought in experts across medical disciplines. We are determined to make the health sector attractive to both residents and non-residents in a way that will provide solutions to health issues and attract investors to the sector and the State. Government is not taking training and continuous professional development of its healthcare workers for granted. Our vision is to make Ogun the health tourist destination of choice, that will attract all and sundry, including investors. We are working across the board and we will also equip and staff these facilities adequately to ensure that the public is given the best service. We are doing periodic outreaches and like I said earlier, we have restored OOUTH back to its lost glory as a centre of excellence in training of medical officers, research and treatment of all manners of ailments. We are also providing free healthcare for children under age 5 and all nursing mothers, just as our aged are treated free in all government hospitals.

Apart from venturing into rehabilitation of public primary schools across the 236 wards of the state, what other steps have you taken to revamp the state’s education sector?
I have no illusion as to the position of education and the enormous challenges in the sector. As an Omo Teacher, I know education is the best legacy that can be given to the leaders of tomorrow. At my inauguration as Governor, I declared a state of emergency on the sector with a firm pledge of ensuring that the pride we used to have in education will be completely restored. So far, we have walked our talks by increasing budgetary allocation to 20% this year, and we will continue to do that on yearly basis till the United Nation Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) benchmark is achieved.
We are implementing the Universal Basic Education Act, as well as ensuring free education for all children in Primary and Junior Secondary Schools. The welfare of teachers is being given utmost priority in order to ensure that best brains are attracted and retrained in the system. Our Government approved and implemented career elongation of degree holders in Public Primary Schools for teachers who had been stagnated on Grade level 14 for years. We promoted 10,000 teachers whose elevation had been delayed since 2016, employed 1, 500 Basic School Teachers and the Teaching Service Commission has also advertised to recruit about a thousand others. We facilitated the release of 2014-2017 UBE Matching grant to the tune ofN10 billion, which translates into 952 Education Projects. These Projects have two special features including Yellow roof and terrazzo floor in our public primary and secondary schools. We donated free teaching aids. We keep expanding the capacity of our teachers. We sponsored ANCOPSS representatives to leadership training in Dubai to enhance their performance and service delivery on the job.
We also reinstated Oluwole Olusanjo Majekodunmi, the Deputy Director in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology who was sacked by the previous administration. Also the former Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, (NUT), Ogun State Chapter, Dare Ilekoya who was compulsorily retired was also re-instated. This special act was displayed to show the government’s resolve in addressing all sorts of injustice.
Procurement and Installation of Education Management Information System (EMIS) Equipment and gadgets to aid data collection, collation and analysis in the Headquarters and all the 20 LGEAs. in line with the technology-driven education mantra of the present administration, and to fast track processing and management of data and other educational information. We have hosted Ogun SUBEB Website www.ogunsubeb.com.

Many Nigerians have made a case for the diversification of the nation’s economy from over-dependence on oil. What is your administration doing towards restoring agriculture as mainstay of your state’s economy?
We have never depended on oil in Ogun State. We are industrial, entrepreneurial and agrarian people. We have always believed that it is agriculture that will bail us out because it is not in every part of the world that you have crude oil. If we look into the records of what is going on, a good number of countries in the world are thriving on agriculture.
Agriculture is everything. Either in the cloth that we wear, the food we eat or the furniture for our houses. Food, clothing and shelter are the basic essentials of life. For us, we are taking multi-sectoral approach to agric development. Luckily for us in Ogun State, we are inheritors of a great legacy in agriculture. We never really depended on oil revenue as a state. We have nine farm settlements established by the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, which spread across the state. We have started opening up those farm settlements to make them available for young people who are showing interest in agriculture and residents who need assistance in opening land so that they can be part of the industrial linkage in growing crop and for food security.
We also have, in the roadmap for agriculture, to work with the private sector in bringing infrastructure back to the farm settlements. We are emplacing agriculture infrastructure, processors there. We are taking this opportunity to launch ourselves back. In the past, before we started reliance on oil, our economy thrived on on tree crops such as cocoa and cashew. Before COVID-19, we have been having partnership proposals from Europe and everywhere in the world, for us to be able to grow vegetable to satisfy our nutritional demand in every part of the world. We can actually go into massive production of tree crops, vegetables and spices. We can grow vegetable all year around. There are some parts of the world that they only have two or three months to grow crops and they eat throughout the year. So, the dynamics favour us. We only need to build the capacity and support private sector and improve on the business environment, in adherence to national and international quality specifications and standard.
Our Anchor Borrower Scheme targets 40,000 farmers. We are partnering with the Central Bank that has made us a model in the South-West. We are working hard to maintain our reputation too. For instance, Nigeria is the highest producer of cassava in the world with about more than 53 million tonnes annually. Out of the 53 million tonnes, one tenth comes from Ogun State.
The state is home to about four biggest buyers of cassava, small and medium scale processors for cassava. Ogun State also has the largest figure. This explains the reason I opened the window of opportunity for 27,000 young people who opted for cassava planting. Last week, in the first batch of intervention in growing cassava, 3,500 people were given the biggest input that any other institution has given to cassava farmers. 60 bundles of stem; 12 litres of insecticides; four bags of fertilisers and N270,000 each, so that they can grow cassava because there are ready-made off-takers. We are using the cassava crop to provide raw materials for the industries, job for young people and food security. I don’t think there is anywhere in Africa that 27,000 cassava farmers have been so empowered.

In the last one year of your government, not much seemed to have been heard about sports development? Or have you done something significant?
We are committed to a wholesome development of that sector. Our administration’s resolve to involve the private sector in the development of sports in the State through a Sport Trust Fund is without reservation. We understand the economic potentials of that sector. We have a blueprint to where we intend to divide the Ministry of Youth and Sports into two, to accommodate the creation of Ogun State Sports Commission. To underscore the importance of sports, we found out that sports has not been able to achieve its potential because of these amalgamatio. So, we will now have the Ogun State Sports Commission and I am proud to say that the Chairman of Value Jet, Mr. Kunle Soname, is going to be the Chairman of the Commission. Soname who runs a Clube Desportivo Feirense in Portugal is also the owner of Remo Stars FC and soccer betting company, BetNaija. Sports potential for job creation is enormous and we have budding talents to develop. It will take our youths off the streets and make them potential millionaires like their counterparts across the world.
And in Sports, we have produced great athletes. People like Mathematical Segun Odegbami, the late Muda Lawal, Dupe Oshikoya, Falilat Ogunkoya to mention but a few.

You promised to revisit and resuscitate the abandoned Olokola deep seaport project. But one year has gone by and nothing concrete seems to be happening. Can you give an insight into what’s going on?
We promised when we were campaigning that we would rejig the Olokola Free Trade Zone (OKFZ) in Ode Omi in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area and make it one of the economic hubs in the country. The plan is being given life now, despite the tough times we are in. The deep sea port is in our budget this year and we are giving it a special priority attention, because of its strategic importance in jobs and income creation for the teeming unemployed youths as well as boosting the revenue base of the state and socioeconomic life of the indigenes, residents and visitors.
The Olokola Deep Seaport project, we are clear in our minds, will very soon become a multipurpose deep seaport complex and free trade zone, as well as an exporting processing zone. We are taking ownership of the African Development Bank involvement and the pre-feasibility study of the project. It is not just building the port alone that matters, a lot of things need to be put in place to make the port efficient.
We are looking at the transport link out of the port. We will connect the seaport to the hinterland and think through other infrastructural need so that we don’t have the type of experience in Apapa. The dry port could be about 20 kilometres from the deep seaport so that importers can transfer and store the goods there so that people don’t come and crowd the port. We are thinking through the whole gamut of logistics support for it to be efficient and we understand the private sector and government must also be there to support it. If there is no policy and proper transportation management, there will be a big challenge and we have a PPP law in Ogun State and the Ogun Invest Bill has also been signed into law to make Olokola port a reality.

Your state has a lot of tourism potentials which have not been fully tapped. What will you do differently to develop the tourism sector, especially as touching on new tourism sites?
Ogun has at least 100 tourists’ sites – Olumo Rock, Bilikisu Osugbo shrine, Lisabi sacred forest, the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, National Museum, Tongeji Island, Osururu Water Spring, Oyan Dam, Omo Forest Reserve, Sugbo Eredo, Ijamido to mention only a few. We are committed to developing all sectors of the economy and support all enterprises that have positive impact on the economy, and it’s no brainer to say that tourism is an important pillar.
Ogun State owns interesting artifacts and historic sites, the numerous and long-lasting tourist centres and businesses across the State have continued to contribute immensely to the economy of our State, and since the inception of this administration, structures have been put in place to support tourist activities. We have rechristened the Drum Festival to incorporate Afro music and the festivals and every town’s cultural festivals shall be celebrated with fanfare to attract the requisite recognition and global acclaim. We will go into other hitherto untapped sectors like health tourism, as our hospital and trado-medical facilities are being expanded, We will do sports tourism, cult and religious tourism, science and cultural tourism or eco-tourism as it is called by some people and social tourism in a manner that we will earn foreign exchange, foster social integration, preserve monuments and cultural heritage as well as ensure visibility for our State in the global space. The blueprint is there and in no time, the end will justify the means.

…as Government says it’s ready for 75-truck allocation



The Osun state government on Saturday took delivery of five truck-loads of food items from the Coalition Against COVID-19 (CA-COVID) even as it expressed its readiness for the 75 trucks expected in the state.

CA-COVID is a joint effort of private sector leaders to support the Nigerian Government to combat COVID-19 pandemic.

The Coalition had earlier renovated one of the state’s isolation centres in Osogbo, the state capital, and donated safety kits and health facilities to the state government.

The food items ranging from rice, noodles, sphagetti, salt, sugar among others were donated to the state to cushion the effects of lockdown occasioned by the pandemic.

Receiving five of the trucks laden with food items at one of the warehouses in Cocoa Products Industry, Ede, the Commissioner of Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives and Empowerment, Dr. Bode Olaonipekun, said the state was ready to take delivery of the consignment.

He said the state was expecting 75 trucks of food items which would be distributed as palliatives to residents of the state.

Olaonipekun lauded the initiative coming from the CA-COVID, describing it as timely and prompt.

On the choice of the warehouse, the Commissioner maintained that the warehouse was chosen in view of the quantity of items being expected.

Olaonipekun who reiterated the commitment of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s government to containing the community transmission of the pandemic, said no stone would be left unturned to make Osun COVID-19 free.

He commended the efforts of the government in tackling the virus since it berthed in the state, saying “this could be attested to in the speedy recovery of those that had tested positive, treated and discharged so far.

“We are here to receive the donations from the Coalition Against COVID-19 (CA-COVID), a collection of organizations in the private sector particularly the foremost industries in Nigeria in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“We are receiving 75 trailers of various food items ranging from rice, pastas, noodles, spaghetti among other food items to alleviate the pressure of pandemic that is ravaging the whole world right now.

“Though, the completion of the delivery would determine when the food items would be distributed to the residents of the state as we are ready to commence the distribution as soon as the delivery is complete.

“Since these items are meant for palliative purposes, we would not waste time to ensure that the food stuffs get to the people in good time as soon as we take the final delivery.

“We shall continue to use the laid down distribution methods which we have been using to ensure transparency in the distribution process.

“We have the social register for those that require assistance at a time like this, and as a government, we are going to ensure that vulnerable citizens are prioritised as we did in the previous distributions.

“So, I am advising our people to continue to cooperate with the government in its efforts to ensure healthy living and guarantee our security, welfare and safety particularly at this critical period,” Olaonipekun said.

In preparation for the formal launch of National Real Estate Today TV programme, which is expected to kick off on Saturday, May 30, 2020, the Executive Producer of the programme and Principal Partner of M.I. Okoro & Associates, Dr. Meckson Innocent Okoro and his team have confirmed massive endorsement of the programme and signing on of adverts placement.

According to the Executive Director, the interests to partner with the programme by business operating in Nigeria and outside Nigeria have been quite overwhelming and impressive. “This is a manifestation of the positive impact Dr. M.I. Okoro has made in the Real Estate Subsector before his decision to set up TV platform on Real Estate practice and products in Nigeria.”

Already Wichtech Group of Companies has signed on for advert placement as long as the programme is on the air. The company is the manufacturer of the best roofing sheet known as Wichtech in Africa.

Expressing his delight, Group MD/CEO of Wichtech Group of Companies Dr. Chidozie Nwankwo, commended the Executive Producer of the TV programme for his foresight and marketing aggressiveness by creating this window of advertising via TV Programme, stating that Real Estate TV platform will compliment his company’s adverts in CNN.

Also, VAVA Furniture Group of Companies Ltd, the biggest expatriate furniture manufacturing company based in Lagos has equally endorsed the TV Programme and has signed on for adverts on quarterly basis. Expressing his happiness for this type of programme that will touch every aspect of human endeavour, Ambassador Michael Tawadrous gave a thumb up to producer for his creativity in establishing the TV Programme.

He said the TV programme will meet the needs of all those operating in the Housing Industry as well as giving a platform and voice for dealers in building materials and household equipment and furniture.

Furthermore, one of the Mega Real Estate operators with co-operative identity, Perfection Real Estate Cooperative and Development Company Limited has equally endorsed the TV Programme and signed on as a strategic partner with the programme.

Marqueluxelife specializes in interior designs and dealers in furniture product parties with the programme and their company has been positioned to take advantage of the robust visibility the National Real Estate Today TV Programme will give them for the marketing of their furniture products.

The MD/CEO of MARQUE Furniture Company Mrs. Pelumi Idowu has expressed her delight in her partnership with the TV programme.

In this remarks, the Executive Producer of the TV Programme Dr. Okoro has assured the Nigerian public that the Programme will do everything possible to assist in disseminating information in real estate that would beneficial to both the Government and people at large.

Dr. Okoro also promised that he would ensure that those doing adverts through our TV platform must get value for their investment while also protecting the interest of prospective buyers of the products advertised.

The Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan called has on parents to ensure their children study online and stay on top of their education despite the current closure of schools occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Akinwuntan, in a message to mark this year’s Children’s Day, observed that the coronavirus may have disrupted the usual academic activities globally, children should however keep up with learning supported with e-learning materials pending when schools re-open.

“We recently entered a social impact literacy campaign with Google to support the education of children at home across Africa due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are leveraging our distribution and partners networks to raise awareness of literacy apps in the Google Play Store to support the education of children.

“It is more important than ever that parents’ guide their children in using technology to continue to learn and improve their knowledge. With physical distancing being enforced and schools closed, we must help children keep up with their learning and homework. We decided to close that gap,” he stated.

Further, Mr. Akinwuntan said in recognition of the fact that children remain the future of tomorrow, the bank parades suitable bouquet of products and services that would enhance their financial education and saving habits.

Sidney Akubuoma



Nigerians are eager to consume information that are on the front burner and once the sensation surrounding the information dies down, they quickly move on to the next trending piece of information. But since the Federal Ministry of Health confirmed the first coronavirus disease (COVID-19) case in Lagos State, every other issue in the country has been relegated to the background.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, some states in Nigeria were on total or partial lockdown and Nigerians groaned because of the anxieties associated with the lockdown.

Every sector of the economy is at a halt. Even the entertainment industry is also affected. During this toxic time in the history of the nation’s health sector, one could only but wish that there are creative and engaging television content such as the Big Brother Naija reality show to help ease the tension and keep our young ones meaningfully engaged.

Television is a powerful medium of communication. Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations described television as a “tremendous force for good. It can educate great numbers of people about the world around them”. For example, in the 80s, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) used television as powerful medium to push campaigns such as Mass Mobilization for Self-Reliance, Social Justice, and Economic Recovery (MAMSER) and War Against Indiscipline (WAI).

While some may perceive the Big Brother Naija reality show as a highly controversial television content- this can be a subject of debate on another platform. However, such controversy is good for the show as it makes the organisers to bring their A-game by creatively looking for ways to appeal to a mass television audience.

The Big Brother Naija reality show; then known Big Brother Nigeria first aired in 2006, it involved a group of strangers sharing a camera-filled house for about 12 weeks. Every move is monitored and broadcast 24 hours a day to millions of viewers via a dedicated TV channel. The housemates interact with each other and participate in physical and mental challenges while in the house.

Each week, at least one housemate with the lowest number of votes is evicted. The eviction follows secret nominations by the housemates and voting by viewers and the final housemate in the house emerges the winner of the reality show. Since 2006 till date, the format of the show has not changed so much.

Although the first edition of the reality show in Nigeria did not come with a theme. But subsequent editions had themes that guided the show. The second edition was; “See Gobbe, the third edition was; “Double Wahala” and last year’s edition (the fourth edition) was “Pepper Dem.” Apparently these themes are deliberately chosen to cause some excitement in the House and increase the show’s intensity.

Last year, Mercy Chinenye Eke, the 26-year-old graduate of Imo State University won the ultimate prize. Making her the first female to emerge winner of the reality show since inception. It was reported that last edition of the show recorded 240 million votes. This attests to the fact that organisers of the reality show have used television as a medium of communication to capture a large number of Nigerian youth.

Statistics indicate that at the heart of BBNaija’s influence is a nucleus of a young demographic. These young Nigerians are valuable consumers because they influence the purchasing decisions of their family and friends. Young people are important to numerous markets, from fashion, mobile, and technology to alcohol, snack foods and entertainment. Without these young Nigerians, a sizable number of businesses would not exist because these young folks spend money, and they inspire others to do so.

But as is typical in Nigeria where people leave the ball to kick the leg, all manner of controversy would be played up about this powerful reality show. That notwithstanding, the government and other stakeholders need to take advantage by using the BBNaija platform to promote societal values and shun vices such as drug addiction, cultism, sexual harassment, female genital mutilation, child labour, girl-child abuse and most importantly, create awareness on the Coronavirus pandemic just as housemates have campaigned against malaria and polio in previous editions.

The acting Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Kemebradikumo Pondi, revealed on Tuesday that the commission’s 2019 budget was inflated with over 500 non-existing projects.

Mr. Pondei made the disclosure on Tuesday while addressing journalists in Port Harcourt, Rivers State while making clarifications on allegations of corruption levelled against the Interim Management Committee (IMC).

The acting managing director said that billions of naira was appropriated for the non-existing projects.

He said the interim management committee made the discovery while investigating the 2019 appropriation to the commission.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that President Muhammadu Buhari had in 2019 ordered a forensic audit of NDDC finances which took effect on April 22.

According to the acting managing director, the NDDC 2019 budget will terminate on May 31 without any project executed in the region during the fiscal year.

“We discovered that after NDDC forwarded its budget to the National Assembly Committees on NDDC, what was sent back to the commission was no longer recognisable.

“The 2019 budget was classically over padded, with almost 500 new projects inserted to it when it was sent back to us.

“We found out the budget appropriation was done in such a way that meaningful projects were allocated very little sums of money.

“It is unfortunate that the 2019 budget will expire on May 31 without any project executed in the region. It was passed two months to the end of its implementation period.

“It is worrying that rather than being a major intervention agency, the commission has been reduced to erecting street lights and constructing drainages, something local governments should do,” he said.

Mr Pondei described as false the allegations by some groups that the IMC misappropriated billions meant for the development of the Niger Delta.

He said the allegations were the handiwork of people and groups who were afraid that the ongoing forensic audit would reveal their corrupt dealings with past NDDC managements.

The acting managing director said the ongoing probe by the national assembly committees on NDDC was meant to arm-twist and force the IMC to tamper with the forensic audit.

“We have faced so much pressure from some members of the National Assembly not to send certain files to forensic auditors. We refused because we fear this will compromise the process.

“Similarly, we have also faced pressure to pay for 132 jobs which have no proof of execution as well as pay out N6.4 billion for those jobs.

“We believe that an IMC set up as a cleansing structure cannot become part of an old story of rot,” he said.

Mr Pondei added that the IMC was committed to breaking the stranglehold on the commission by some politicians who had turned NDDC to their cash cows.

He gave the assurance that IMC was fully focused on delivering Mr Buhari’s forensic audit of the NDDC finances before the expiration of the committee’s tenure in December.

Lawyer seeks probe of spurious contracts



A legal practitioner, Mr. Ojeh Godwin, has lamented what he called flagrant abuse of statutory procedure and due process, calling for an urgent investigation of the activities of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

‘’It is disheartening that the leadership of the Interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) which was supposedly set up to restore sanity and rescue the body has taken over the same acts of corruption and fraudulent transactions with which the erstwhile leadership of the Commission were alleged. The Interim Management Committee which came on board and confidently accused the past leadership of the NDDC of lacklustre performance, abandoned projects, poor project delivery and so on is now enmeshed in acts of pervasive corruption, blatant illegality, flagrant abuse of power and flagrant abuse of statutory procedure and due process’’
He particularly accused former Acting Managing Director of NDDC, Gbene Dr Joi Nunieh of throwing caution to the winds.

‘’It is saddening that Gbene Dr Joi Nunieh, Ag EDP of the Interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, the Ag. EDFA of the Interim Management Committee of the NDDC, Mr. Ibanga Bassey and other members of the Management Team of the Interim Management Committee of the NDDC who are to oversee the forensic audit of the NDDC as ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari, in a spate of few months in office have done nothing but to betray the trust reposed in them. Rather than stemming or exposing the corruption they had accused their predecessors of, they had thrown caution to the winds and don the toga of corruption to perpetrate fraudulent acts and abuse of laid down statutory procedure under the NDDC Act and Public Procurement Act. The so much acclaimed contract verification Committee led then by Gbene Dr Joi Nunieh, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, Mr. Ibanga Bassey and other members of the Management team approved the sums of money to the tune of over N4billion on spurious contracts in the name of supplying “Maternity Delivery Kits”, “Cholera Vaccines”, “Lassa Fever Kits” and “Outstanding Science Equipment’’.

In a petition to the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Femi Gbajabiamila and others, the Benin based lawyer accused Nunieh of dispensing fund not captured under any budgetary allocation/appropriation.

“It is pertinent to state at the outset that Gbene Dr Joi Nunieh, Ag. EDP of the Interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Dr Cairo Ojougboh, the Ag EDFA of the Interim Management Committee, Mr. Ibanga Bassey and other members of the Management Team unilaterally approved huge sums of payments without any prior budgetary appropriation. This is reflected in the Memo dated January 17, 2020 where they directed the approval and also directed that the Summarised Information on the Health and Education Projects listed in a Memo dated 3rd December, 2019 and January 10, 2020 be treated for payment. They did this despite the fact that the Memo dated January 17, 2020 clearly stated that “The programmes have already been awarded and supplied”, and that “some of the items have already been distributed”.

In fact, they overruled the professional advice of a top official (the DPRS) of the NDDC, who stated on the Memo that “The request is for inclusion in 2020 budget and not for payment”. This singular act of theirs was in direct conflict with the provisions of section 16(1) (b) of the Public Procurement Act which provides as follows: “(1) Subject to any exemption allowed by this Act, all public procurement shall be conducted: (b) based only on procurement plans supported by prior budgetary appropriations and no procurement proceedings shall be formalised until the procuring entity has ensured that funds are available to meet the obligations and subject to the threshold in the regulations made by the Bureau, has obtained a ”Certificate of No Objection to contract Award “from the Bureau” In the instant case, there was no budgetary appropriation and there was no Certificate of No Objection to back up the payments made. All the payments so made are detailed below. The Memos referred to above which speak for themselves are annexed herewith as ANNEXURE A, B and C’’.

Titled: Petition against Gbene Dr Joi Nunieh, the former acting managing director/chief executive officer, interim management committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, the acting executive director (Projects) interim management committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Ibanga Bassey, the acting executive director (Finance and Administration) interim management committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission and other management members of the interim management committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission for fraudulent misappropriation of public funds, contract splitting, payment of money for non-existing contract, unauthorised payment beyond official capacity, Godwin Ojeh said the Interim Management of the Niger Delta Commission had carried out several surreptitious and selective payments on nonexistence emergency contracts.

“Gbene Dr Joi Nunieh, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, Mr. Ibanga Bassey and other members of the Management team of the Interim Management Committee had carried out several surreptitious and selective payments on spurious/ non-existence emergency contracts which are in direct conflict with and antithetical to the campaign against corrupt practices in public offices by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari. This is so in that, there was no time that any public announcement was made to allow for bidding for the said “contracts”. This is a contravention of the provisions of section 16(1) (c) and (d) of the Public Procurement Act which provides as follows: “Subject to any exception allowed by this Act, all public procurement shall be conducted: (c) by open competitive bidding. (d) In a manner which is transparent, timely, equitable for ensuring accountability and conformity with this Act and regulations deriving there from”

He said payments were made to Pear Medical Support Services (357,437,500.00 – First Bank (FBN) Account No: 2034259777), Signora Concepts Ltd- N357437, 500.00 -First Bank (FBN) Account No; 20342732267) and T & N Ltd – N357, 437,500.00 (UBA Account No; 0121112544.

Ojeh Godwin listed Cremes Ltd (21000 Lassa Fever Protective Kits –TSA/Pro/20/01/0006 –N857, 850,000 – FBN Account No; 2014316595, A & G Int. Ltd (100 Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the Niger Delta Area – TSA/Pro/20/01/0004 – N47,166,787.50 –Zenith Bank Account Number 1014628310, Bukadi Global Services (100 Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the Niger Delta Area – TSA/Pro/20/01/0005 – N47,166,787.50 – Fidelity Account Number 5080021292, Ceeone Pharmacy Ltd ( 100 Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the Niger Delta Area –TSA/Pro/20/01/0006 –N47,166,787.50 – Polaris Account Number 1770953450, Chloe Capital & Business Support -(100 Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the Niger Delta Area – TSA/Pro/20/01/0007- N47,166,787.50 –GTB Account Number 0139522300, Cremes Ltd ( 100 Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the Niger Delta Area –TSA/Pro/20/01/0008 – N47,166,787,50 – FBN Account Number 2034782183), Deltafric Concepts ( 100 Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the Niger Delta Area –TSA/Pro/20/01/0009 –N47,166,787.50 – Polaris Account Number 4091179628, Dotu Solutions Ltd ( 100 Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the Niger Delta Area –TSA/Pro/20/01/0010 –N47,166,787.50 – Unity Bank Account Number 0085504, Duxter Services Ltd( 100 Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the Niger Delta Area –TSA/Pro/20/01/0011 –N47,166,787.50 – GTB Account 0089040175, Falconwood Nig Ltd ( 100 Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the Niger Delta Area –TSA/Pro/20/01/0012 –N47,166,787.50 –Unity Bank Account Number 0028812258, Guaco Light Ltd ( 100 Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the Niger Delta Area –TSA/Pro/20/01/0013 –N47,166,787.50 –UBA Account 1014623098, Jeog Logistics Nig Ltd ( 100 Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the Niger Delta Area –TSA/Pro/20/01/0014 –N47,166,787.50 – Access Bank Account 0045147182, Lloyds Capital & Business Support Ltd ( 100 Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the Niger Delta Area –TSA/Pro/20/01/0015 –N47,166,787.50 – Access Bank Account 0801084201 and Madinagreen Nig Ltd ( 100 Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the Niger Delta Area –TSA/Pro/20/01/0016 –N47,166,787.50 – Wema Bank Account 0122807400 as companies used to indicate supply of Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the Niger Delta Region.

He also listed Manson Global Healthcare Services ( 100 Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the Niger Delta Area –TSA/Pro/20/01/0017 –N47,166,787.50 –FBN Account Number 2033000398, Master Builder Nig Ltd ( 100 Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the Niger Delta Area –TSA/Pro/20/01/0018 –N47,166,787.50 –Unity Bank Account Number 008303813, Otams Services Ltd ( 100 Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the Niger Delta Area –TSA/Pro/20/01/0019 –N47,166,787.50 – FCMB Account Number 3031833017, Path Stones & Logistics Nig Ltd ( 100 Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the Niger Delta Area –TSA/Pro/20/01/0020 –N47,166,787.50 – Ecobank Account Number 0432008716, Pearl Clinics & Maternity Ltd ( 100 Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the Niger Delta Area –TSA/Pro/20/01/0021 –N47,166,787.50 – FCMB Account Number 5279674010, Signora Concepts Services Ltd ( 100 Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the Niger Delta Area –TSA/Pro/20/01/0023 –N47,166,787.50 – FBN Account Number 2014079850, Squrepyram ID Ltd ( 100 Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the Niger Delta Area –TSA/Pro/20/01/0024 –N47,166,787.50 – Zenith Bank Account Number 1015601833 and Switch Original Ltd ( 100 Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the Niger Delta Area –TSA/Pro/20/01/0025 –N47,166,787.50 – Fidelity Bank Account Number 4010298726 as other companies used to indicate supply of Lassa Fever Protective Kits in the region.
He expressed displeasure over the activities of the Interim Management Committee.

“Rather than follow due process statutorily laid down under the enabling law, the Interim Management Committee led by Gbene Dr Joi Nunieh, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh and Mr. Ibanga Bassey simply raised an Internal Memo in which it gave summary of contract awards and their various stages including the names of the beneficiaries companies and the contract sum’’.

Ojeh Godwin said the actions of Gbene Dr Joi Nunieh in making payments for non-existing contract were tantamount to fraud in the public service.

“Gbene Dr Joi Nunieh, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, Mr. Ibanga Bassey and other members of their Management team of the did not apply for and obtained the requisite “Certificate of No Objection to Contract Award” from the Bureau of Public Procurement as required under the law. In this wise, the enabling Public Procurement Act in its section 16 (1) (b) directs as follows: “Subject to any exception allowed by this Act, all public procurement shall be conducted: (b)“…based only on procurement plans supported by prior budgetary appropriations, and no procurement proceedings shall be formalized until the procuring entity has ensured that funds are available to meet the obligation and subject to the threshold in the regulations made by the Bureau, has obtained a “Certificate of ‘No Objection to Contract Award from the Bureau.”
He emphasized that the Interim Management Committee in many instances paid sums of money beyond the bench mark of its official capacity.

“The Interim Management Committee under the leadership of Gbene Dr Joi Nunieh, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh and Mr. Ibanga Bassey in many instances had paid sums of money beyond the benchmark of its official capacity. For instance, on 22 January, 2020 the sum of N857,850.00 was paid into the First Bank of Nigeria Account No: 2104316595 of Cremes Ltd for the supply of Lassa Fever Protective Kits. On same date the sum of N357,437,500.00 were paid separately to Pear Medical Support Services, Signora Concepts Ltd and T&N Ltd.

Meanwhile, the limit of money that the Committee can approve after following all the due process is N250 Million. Ojeh also cited instances of gross violation of the Public Procurement Act.

“Prior to the setting up of the Gbene Dr Joi Nunieh led Interim Management Committee, on May 3, 2019, Prof. Nelson Braimbaifa led board of the NDDC wrote to the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, vide NDDC/BPP/EP16/2019/02/01, seeking ratification of 205 emergency contracts awarded in the 4th quarter of 2016, for the total sum of N81,271,015,478.

In reaction, on May 8, 2019, the BPP responded vide BPP/S.1/CID/19/Vol.I/215 and rejected the request, declared the action illegal and spelled out the consequences to the Accounting Officer for authorizing such actions. The NDDC management at the material time was advised to make detailed records available to enable the Bureau make an informed decision on the request. Interestingly, the same Emergency contracts which the BPP rejected and described as “fraudulent and illegal,” has been approved and paid for by the Interim management Committee of the NDDC, consisting of Gbene Dr Joi Nunieh, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, Mr. Ibanga Bassey and other members of the Management team. As a result, the Interim Management Committee has made various payments to contractors in contravention of the Public Procurement Act’’.

He said the Commission paid N607,445,026 to Atamu Const Ltd (UBN Account Number 0067379672), N623,053,818 to Franez Nig Ltd (UBN Account 0045358643), N607,114,818 to Rill Oil Services Ltd (Zenith Account 1016082718), N655,471,044 to Simoka Marine Ltd (First Bank of Nigeria Account 2018520972) and N445, 686, 266 on December 3, 2019 to Rodnab Construction Ltd ( Zenith Account 1013906383).
‘’As a concerned Nigerian and indigene of the Niger Delta Area, I humbly bring the above detailed infraction of the laws to your attention and urge you to use your good offices to investigate this complaint/ petition’’ he added.

Nigerian twitter is abuzz with news of the appointment of Toni Kan as Spokesperson to the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

Wailers are insisting that Toni Kan, award winning writer, Public relations expert and media entrepreneur is an enemy of the APC and the president.

But nothing could be farther from the truth. An ideas man and committed Nigerian Toni Kan has never been content to merely criticise. He is a firm believer in the fact that those who criricise must also show how the job can be done better.

When he got tired of seeing a lack of professionalism in the Nigerian online media space he launched sabinews.com (now 1stnews) to provide an ethical and professional example. That site became the first Nigerian news site to be acquired in Nigeria underlining its success and ethical bonafides.

Sensing a deep need for young Nigerian writers to be published and validated at home instead of abroad, Toni Kan launched thelagosreview.ng to provide a space for young Nigerian writers to be published.

As to charges that Toni Kan is anti-APC and Buhari, many do not realise that when First Lady, Aisha Buhari was being attacked and accused of shutting down the Aso rock chapel, it was Toni Kan who undertook an investigation and wrote a balanced report which summarily put paid to those attacks and they say he is anti Buhari.

Read the article here where he writes: “Sitting on the chair he has offered me, I take a few more shots and as I rise to leave I wonder where the story about the chapel being turned into a spa came from and what I would do if I was the president and the chapel was sitting that close to my wife’s residence. Knowing myself, I would never allow the chapel or children’s church to sit so close to her bedroom and kitchen and this is a Christian speaking.”

Femi Adeshina once criticized Professor Gambari and today they are playing on the same team.

Garba Shehu used to work as media aide for Atiku Abubakar who is without question President Muhammadu Buhari’s biggest political opponent but today he is one of the president’s most trusted media aides.

How many people realise that Tolu Ogunlesi, one of the president’s media aides got his start in PR and Communications when Toni Kan hired him at Visafone.

The question to ask is this: is Toni Kan qualified to be media aide or not? The answer is a BIG yes.

M.A and B.A English literature from the universities of Lagos and Jos.

Best Graduating student both times.

Magazine Editor at 26

Fellow of the Civitella Ranieri, Heinrich Boll and Yaddo writing fellowships, some of the most prestigious in the world.

 Author of 12 books – novels, short story collections, biographies, poetry.

Multi sectoral experience consulting in Banking, Telecoms, oil and Gas, Energy etc.

NIPR and APCON certified.

Former Editor Nigeria Monthly magazine (his first federal government appointment.)

A federal appointment offers an opportunity to serve one’s country at the highest level. Many ministers were PDP stalwarts just three years ago but they are serving. Toni Kan is a man of ideas and action. A change agent he is never content to just criticize. By taking this job, he means to do good instead of sitting on the sidelines and playing arm chair critic. We all have a stake in Nigeria and whether president Buhari or another, the country comes first

Global Finance has named Ecobank as the most innovative bank in Africa. The announcement was made at the eighth Global Finance annual awards, the Innovators 2020, honoring entities that regularly identify new paths and design new tools in finance. Categories in the award include Top Innovations in Corporate Finance, Payments, Trade Finance, Cash Management, Islamic Finance, with Winners selected from different regions of the world.

The classes of award comprised Most Innovative Banks in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Central & Eastern Europe, Latin America, Middle East, North America and Western Europe; The Most Innovative Fintech Companies in Asia-Pacific, Central & Eastern Europe, North America and Western Europe; and The Best Financial Innovation Labs

At the virtual awards announcement, Anita Hawser, European Editor at Global Finance and Lead, Global Finance Awards evaluation team, noted that companies recognized at the Innovators 2020 significantly stood apart. She said the review panel looked at innovation in the context of product or process innovation, as they were ultimately more concerned with the impact of innovation in terms of creating value for customers or addressing a specific need, like speeding up lending or credit review process for small businesses; enabling companies to deposit cheques remotely and not having to visit the branches.

According to her, these are innovations that significantly reduce the time or cost of companies to perform financial tasks and really transform customers’ business lives helping them operate more effectively in a significantly challenging business and economic environment.

In his remark, Ade Ayeyemi, Ecobank Group CEO said: “We are pleased to be recognised as the “Most Innovative Bank in Africa” by Global Finance. This attests to the strength of our brand in multiple countries across Africa, our unique pan-African platform, and our innovative banking products and solutions made possible by the success of our digital transformation journey.

With a larger African footprint than any other bank operating in West, Central, East and Southern Africa, Ecobank is the only bank that has banking operations that spans 33 African countries, operating a truly integrated African network. That is One unified integrated Ecobank Mobile Banking App, that works seamlessly across all 33 operating countries in Africa; One Ecobank Omni and Omni Lite serving Multinationals and SMEs in Africa; One Rapidtransfer app that breaks down country borders and allows the diaspora community send money directly to their loved ones, instantly and affordably across Africa; One Ecobank Online Banking platform that can be easily accessed across 33 African countries.

The Ecobank Group’s unique and largest pan-African platform is designed to help unlock the opportunities of the continent, for the benefit of the continent, through standardization, thereby enabling regional integration, and trade and investment across borders.

With the Group’s sterling performance, it has been severally recognized as ‘Best Retail Bank in Africa 2019’ at African Banker Awards; Most Admired Financial Services Brand in Africa 2019 by Brand Africa 100; Best Digital Bank in Africa – 2017 by Euromoney Awards; Best Retail Bank and Innovation in Banking both in 2018 by the African Banker Awards amongst others.

Thursday, May 7, 2020 witnessed a turning point in the Ikoyi office of M. I. Okoro & Associates, one of the foremost Nigeria’s Real Estate professionals and Corporate Estate Surveyors and Valuers as he created the National Real Estate Today, which is a creative and revolutionary TV productions that will be aired weekly on NTA2 Channel 5 every Saturday at most prime time of 10 pm for the next one year. The program will commence from on Saturday 30, May, 2020 at 10pm.

A lot of his critical stakeholders attended the business meeting in his Ikoyi consulting office to put finishing touch to the TV Programs take-off arrangement.

Speaking at the meeting Dr. Chief M.I. Okoro stated that his vision in creating this aggressive and well packaged National Real Estate Today Television program with NTA Channel 2, Channel 5 is to bridge the yawning gap in information and enlightenment regarding real estate and housing in Nigeria.

“The idea is to bridge the gap in information regarding Real Estate and Housing because it will help an average person in Nigeria and beyond to know his rights with respect to the relationship between landlords and tenants as well as opportunities that exist in buying or selling Real Estate in Nigeria and overseas because information is power particularly at this crucial time with Covid–19 pandemic era that usher in new investment windows Nigeria Real Estate Industry.

“We shall also use this opportunity to advice government at all levels on the best ways to harness the potentials of our National land resource to the overall benefits of all Nigerians. This is a revolutionary Real Estate TV package that would reveal a lot of good thing that could help all concerned,” Dr. Okoro said.

Also in the meeting, Mr. Chinedu Mbakwe (CEO, Mabtech Properties Limited) commented on the need to promote the Lekki Trade Center comprising 3750, lock-up shops, banking halls, restaurants and other complementary facilities taking off along Lekki Epe Expressway Lekki Lagos, after Lakowe.

“The Lekki Trade Centre will be the highest shopping International Market within Lekki and Ibeju Lekki environs. When this Market takes off, it will serve all the Island residents in Lagos. He further commented on Tejuosho Market investment opportunities which are already on sale.”

“A fantastic stakeholders meeting from the perspective of the Dr. Chief M.I. Okoro, the Principal Agent of Lekki Trade Centre. The National Real Estate Today, is the bridge between realtors, institutional investors and traders into the growth potentials of real estate investments in Nigeria” – Godfrey Iyke Nwosu (CEO, Blink Nigeria Limited)

“This is the way forward into the next big thing. Bringing the art of real estate in the footprints of market, communication, utility services, urban development. This program is a catalyst to real estate business.” – Chief Daniel Victor Chekwube (CEO, Vic-Luna Express Bureau D Change)

The Founder/CEO of Quick Tv Africa Limited also pointed out the need for massive digital promotion which the Executive Producer is supporting now.

“This is such a massive innovation that requires a large and productive digital promotion in other to reach targeted audiences. The need to create channels that put National Real Estate Today before the people cannot be over emphasised” – Victor Vote (Founder/CEO, Quick Tv Africa Limited.

The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has concluded payment of April stipends to N-Power beneficiaries.

In a statement circulated to the media, Honourable Minister, Sadiya Umar Farouq, Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development said “last week I promised that the stipends would be paid this week. We encountered some delays on the GIFMIS platform but I can now announce that all N-Power beneficiaries from Batch A and B have been paid their April stipends. We are working hard to streamline the programme for greater efficiency and to provide opportunities for more Nigerian youths. Details will be provided as soon May stipend has been paid.”

The N-Power Programme was inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 under the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) with the mandate to lift citizens out of poverty through capacity building, investment, and direct support. This effort also contributes to the administration’s vision of lifting 100 million people out of poverty by creating opportunities to enhance the productivity of the Nigerian youth.

The programme has enrolled 500,000 beneficiaries thus far - 200,000 from Batch A which started in September 2016 and 300,000 from Batch B which kicked off in August 2018. The beneficiaries were supposed to spend 24 months on the programme but Batch A beneficiaries have spent over 40 months thereby denying other Nigerians an opportunity to access the programme and gain skills for entrepreneurship and employment.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will tomorrow release its policy document for the conduct of Edo and Ondo States governorship, and other elections amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

Over 50 countries reportedly postponed thier elections indefinitely because of the challenges associated with conducting elections during the pandemic.

Also, INEC in March postponed four senatorial elections indefinitely in view of the fact that its activities involve large gathering of people.

We gathered that the policy document, which will be released on Monday, was prepared after extensive consultations with election stakeholders, to ensure safety of poll workers, voters and others who would be involved in the conduct of the elections.

The commission in a statement issued at the end of its management meeting last Thursday, said the policy document “covers health and legal issues, election planning and operations, election day and post-election activities, voter registration, political parties, election observation, electoral security and deployment of technology.”

An inside source disclosed that there were suggestions for the postponement of elections pending when the pandemic would abate because election involves huge crowds.

There were also concerns over electioneering campaigns, deployment of men and materials for the elections as well as accreditation of election observers.

In the end, according to him, it was agreed to go ahead with the elections, and hope to draw experience from countries that held elections during the coronavirus pandemic.

The source who said “the clean copy” of the document was not yet ready, assured of credible elections “if all the stakeholders cooperate with the INEC.

“We are going to conduct all the elections including the four suspended senatorial elections; they are now five because the commission has been notified of vacancy in Cross River North.

“There are other vacancies in the House of Representatives. We will conduct all these elections, there will be no postponement.”

“On our part, we will play our part but you know it is not INEC alone: we have political parties, security agencies, election observers and the media.”

He however, ruled out electronic voting because there is no law backing it now.

We learnt part of the measures to be adopted might be to increase the number of voting points in each polling units. Edo State has a total of 2, 627 polling units and over four thousand voting points.

Also, the voting period might be extended beyond 2 pm because of the likely delay for a voter to cast his or her votes as the commission tries to ensure crowd control and social distancing protocol. There will be infrared thermometer for temperature check and every voter will wear a face mask.

Other measures that might be considered, is the reduction in the number of election observers. Foreign observers might be limited to few, and may be officials of foreign bodies in Nigeria as anyone coming into the country will undergo mandatory 14 days isolation.

Though INEC is concerned with the conduct of the elections, it hopes to dialogue with political parties on the conduct of primaries and campaigns when the commission meets with Chairmen and Secretaries of the 18 registered political parties on June 1.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye inform us to wait until the document is released on Monday for the details.

National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kola Ologbondiyan said the party is working out details on how to conduct its primaries and campaigns during the pandemic.

PDP has fixed July 22 and 23 to elect its candidate for Edo governorship election.

The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria has described the approval of financial autonomy granted its members by President Muhammadu Buhari as the best Sallah gift from the latter.

The chairman of the Conference of Speakers, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, said this in a statement released on Saturday adding that the body was excited over action of the President.

Buhari had on Friday evening signed an executive order granting financial autonomy to state legislatures and judiciaries months after Speaker Obasa led a team of his colleagues on a visit to the President at the Aso Rock Villa where he made the demand.

The Executive Order 10 signed by Buhari makes it compulsory for the 36 states to always include the allocations of the legislature and the judiciary in the first-line charge of their budgets.

The order also makes it mandatory for the Accountant-General of the Federation to deduct the amounts due to state legislature and judiciary from monthly allocations of states that refuse to implement the order.

“No doubt, this order will further make state legislatures independent of the executive arm of their various governments.

“It would also boost healthy competitions among state legislatures in pursuit of advancements and developments.

“This is the best gift the President, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, has given the legislative arms of state governments at this Sallah. And coming at the end of the Ramadan, it means God truly answered the prayers of the member state legislatures through the President,” Obasa, who is a member of the implementation committee on the financial autonomy set up by the President, said.

The committee had the mandate to ensure the implementation of the financial autonomy in line with section 121(3) of the country’s constitution as amended.

While commending the members of the implementation committee for putting in their best and meeting its mandate, Obasa urged the various state beneficiaries of the Executive Order by President Buhari to see it as a further push to unite the country and play roles for its growth, peace and progress.

The Speaker thanked the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) and its committee led by Governor Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State for its support during the events and meetings leading to a final decision of the President.
Obasa also thanked the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, for his roles that eventually resulted in the signing of the order by President Buhari just as he commended his colleagues in the various Houses of Assembly for their steadfastness at all times.

Muslims in Nigeria have been enjoined to continue to pray for the unity of the country as they join their counterparts worldwide to celebrate Eid-el-Fitri.

In a statement released in Lagos, Globacom, the grandmasters of data, congratulated the Muslims on the successful completion of the 2020 Ramadan. It urged them to imbibe the lessons of the fasting to positively impact their immediate community and Nigeria at large.

“As Muslims savour the joy of Eid-el- Fitri, we pray that Almighty Allah will grant their prayers for peace, progress and development of the nation. We call on them to imbibe fully the tenets of Islam as taught by Prophet Mohammed,” the company said.

It noted that since the season is that of charity, peace-making and forgiveness, our Muslim brethren should remember to care for the poor and the needy in obedience to Allah’s directive to be our brother’s keeper.

The company pledged to continue to provide high quality products and services at the most competitive rates throughout the Sallah period and afterwards, assuring its subscribers of a flawless communications experience to enable them to stay in touch with their loved ones.

Globacom urged its subscribers to avail themselves of the Glo Stay Home Data plan which offers up to 20 percent more data for all categories of subscribers irrespective of the data plan they purchase. Under the plan, Glo customers automatically enjoy up to 20%more data when they subscribe to a plan or top up their data. The company said they could also use the Sunday Data plan to send felicitations to their family and friends during the Eid weekend.

The plan gives subscribers 1.25 GB for just N200 worth of data on Sunday to chat, browse, stream and connect with loved ones, religious bodies, societies, clubs and organisations.

The plans can be purchased by dialing *777# for plan menu and selecting the plan of choice. Data plans can also be purchased at http://hsi.glo.com.

Muslims worldwide celebrate Eid-el-Fitri annually to mark the end of the Ramadan month of fasting. The day of Eid falls on the first day of Shawwal.

The fourth pillar of the Islamic faith and the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, the holy month of Ramadan is the period in which Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset for 29 or 30 days. The Ramadan started on 24th of April after the moon was sighted and will end by 23th of May 2020.

Sterling Bank Plc, Nigeria’s leading digital bank has launched a new, unique but simple banking application that can be used for all banking and payment transactions by its customers.

Chief Digital Officer of the bank, Mr. Olayinka Oni has said the new app is an affirmation of the bank’s position as the most innovative bank in Nigeria, adding that the app is also in line with the bank’s forward looking, customer-centric and excellence-oriented brand personality.

Oni said the application has almost everything customers might want to get about 10 different applications for, noting that with OneBank, everything the customer wants and needsis placed on his or her palm.

He noted that the application is an omnichannel solution that the bank had designed to serve its teeming customers better. According to him, the app offers easy banking and a wide range of convenient financial services.

Some of the unique features of the OneBank App include selfregistration/onboarding, instant account opening, domestic and foreign transfers, credit card requests, virtual card application and use and cash pick up – withdraw money from ATM in branch without card.

Others are airtime and immediate data top-up, bills payment for water, power, Pay TV, and membership subscription of professional associations, among others.

The new app is the single access point for all Sterling’s digital solutions.

The bank’s digital chief noted that the OneBank app “allows customers to open savings and current accounts as well as apply for loans and open and maintain an investment asset.”

He said OneBank was designed to promote a new lifestyle never seen before in the Nigerian banking space.

The CDO added that the new app is an innovative approach to the business of finance that distinguishes between old ways of banking and convenience and seamless banking which Sterling Bank represents as an ever-evolving financial service provider.

Sterling Bank recently won the Innovative Bank of the Year Award at the fourth edition of the Electronic Payment Incentive Scheme (EPIS) Efficiency Awards organised by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBBS).

The CBN EPIS Efficiency Awards is organised to celebrate financial institutions, merchants and other stakeholders at the forefront of driving electronic payment in Nigeria.

The awards are based on objective analysis of all E-payments data collated by the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) over a full calendar year.

Following the success of the fourth season of the biggest and most viewed event on African television, Big Brother Naija, MultiChoice Nigeria has announced that the fifth season of the show will premiere in July 2020.

For its fifth season, the BBNaija show will run an online audition process starting Wednesday, May 20 till Saturday, May 30, 2020. Potential contestants are expected to record a two-minute video of themselves stating why they should be picked to be a Housemate in season 5 of Big Brother Naija.

Following this, they are to log on to www.africamagic.tv/BBAudition to fill out the online registration form and upload their videos. The online audition is free and open to Interested male and female participants who are of Nigerian nationality with a valid Nigerian passport and must be 21 years of age by June 1, 2020.

Speaking on the return of BBNaija, the Chief Executive Officer of MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. John Ugbe said: “Big Brother Naija has been widely regarded as one of Africa’s biggest entertainment exports, being the biggest showcase of Nigeria’s diversity outside of core Nollywood. This fifth season promises to be more adventurous, exciting and entertaining, and will undoubtedly be the biggest thing on African television in 2020.”

With the Big Brother Naija reality show, MultiChoice Nigeria is committed to providing premium content and entertainment on its DStv and GOtv platforms. As the new edition draws near, fans and viewers can get ready for the excitement and entertainment this season will bring as they enjoy weeks of unending drama, intrigue, romance, Friday night games, the famous Saturday night parties and an overall battle of wits as the Housemates vie for the ultimate prize.

Mr Ugbe added: “The timing of the show is also particularly important, given the dominance of the COVID-19 pandemic; auditions for the fifth edition will now hold online and viewers and stakeholders alike can rest assured knowing that global best practices, precautions and preventive measures will be followed throughout the show, even as we guarantee the premium entertainment BBNaija is renowned for.”

The Big Brother Naija reality TV show continues to produce some of the country’s biggest TV personalities and pop culture influencers since its maiden edition in 2006. Some of these personalities include Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, Gideon Okeke and more recently, Mercy Eke, Mike Edwards, Miracle Ikechukwu, Tobi Bakre, Cynthia “Cee-C” Nwadiora Bamike “BamBam” Olawunmi, Tunde “Teddy A” Adenibuyan, Efe Ejeba, Bisola Aiyeola and Tokunbo “Tboss” Idowu.

The Osun state Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola on Wednesday commissioned a state-of-the-art isolation centre in Osogbo as part of efforts to complement the effective and efficient management of Coronavirus pandemic in the state.

He said the Coalition Against COVID-19 (Ca-COVID) renovated the health facility and donated equipment and consumables for 100 beds to which the state government added 60 beds.

On the same premises, the state has another 20-room single beds isolation centre, giving the Mercyland facility a 180-bed isolation centre.

Inaugurating the facility, Governor Oyetola disclosed that the facility would serve as an addition to the government’s other initiatives in containing the spread of the rampaging virus.

He attributed the successes recorded by the state on the effective management of the pandemic to holistic approach launched against the virus since its berthed in Nigeria and the state.

Oyetola noted that the administration had swiftly adopted creative and proactive methods to manage the pandemic as it had dedicated funds, human resources and indeed focused resolve to beat the virus and end the menace.

He said the state government had renovated and equipped three other isolation centres which include, 130-bed facility in Ejigbo; 12-bed capacity in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, a 20-bed isolation centre and 8-bed Intensive Care Unit at State Specialist Hospital, Asubiaro, Osogbo, making 342-isolation beds and 8 ICU-bed facility in the state.

Oyetola added: “We are adopting a holistic approach to winning the pandemic, including working with the National Centre for Disease Control and the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

“We have dedicated personnel doing contact tracing, testing of contacts, isolation and care of patients for quality treatment. We have extensive publicity and sensitization programmes in place to educate and update our citizens regularly on how to stop COVID-19 in its tracks.

“There has also been provision of palliative for citizens, introduction of lockdown and curfew as appropriate to ensure effective containment of the virus without hurting our economy and livelihoods.

“The employment of this method as well as the cooperation and compliance of our citizens is the reason we have been able to achieve the modest success we have recorded so far, despite the huge imported cases we had to contend with at the initial stage of the pandemic in the State.”

Commending the Coalition Against COVID-19 for being supportive to the state in its efforts to eliminate the pandemic, the Governor opined that, “complementing government’s efforts at ensuring the safety and security of the people is the highest duty that a corporate entity, group or individual can provide, and it is also the greatest measure of the integrity of these entities and their hearts for the people.”

The Governor appealed to other well-meaning citizens of the state to support the administration in its untiring efforts to combat the menace just as he urged them to comply with the subsisting rules and regulations.

He said: “I would like to extend deep gratitude to CACOVID for their generosity, sense of duty and love for the people of the State of Osun at this challenging period. With corporate citizens like CACOVID on our side, we are confident as a government that we will win this virulent war.”

In his remarks, the Deputy Governor, Mr. Benedict Alabi, commended Governor Oyetola for prioritising the health of the citizens since his assumption of office.

Alabi who doubled as the Chairman, Osun COVID-19 Taskforce, attributed the milestone achievements recorded by the Taskforce to the huge support received from the Governor.

“With necessary support from the governor, the Osun COVID-19 Taskforce, which I chair, has been able to coordinate the activities of the state’s intervention against the spread of the coronavirus with necessary vigour and attendant success.

“The speed and sequence of the state government’s response to the initial spate of spread of the novel virus, coupled with consistency in management and containment of the pandemic in our dear state have tremendously elicited accolades from all quarters,” Alabi added.

Earlier in his remarks, the COVID-19 Coordinator for Oyo and Osun states, Mr. Timothy Arowoogun, applauded the way and manner at which the Osun state government has been managing the pandemic since its birthed in the state.

Arowoogun who described Osun as one of the few states in Nigeria that had proved their capacities and commitments in combating the deadly disease, called on all to support governments in their collective resolve to eliminate the pandemic in the country.

He reaffirmed the commitment of the Coalition Against COVID-19 (CA-COVID) to ensure adequate support for government at various levels to end the spread of the disease.

…37,589 beneficiaries across the state will be impacted

….parents/guardians/caregivers of beneficiaries to collect Take-Home Rations

… FG is providing funding while Lagos state implements

The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development will commence the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme on Thursday May 21, 2020 in Lagos.

The modified programme was flagged off in Kuje, Abuja on May 14, 2020 by the supervising Minister, Sadiya Umar Farouq who was joined by Paul Howe, Country Director of the World Food Programme which is providing Technical Support.

The special Covid-19 intervention will see 37,589 beneficiaries made up of parents, guardians and care givers of primary 1-3 school children in participating schools receive Take-Home Rations. While the intervention is primarily for school children currently enrolled on the programme, the Ministry has also been engaging partners and other agencies to explore options for those children who are not current beneficiaries.

Each Take-Home Ration valued at N4,200 is made up of 5 kg Bag of Rice, 5 kg Bag of Beans, 500 ml Vegetable Oil, 750 ml Palm Oil, 500 mg Salt, 15 pcs of eggs, 140gm Tomato Paste. These rations have been reviewed by nutrition experts to ascertain the nutritional value and benefit to the children.

Sensitization, advocacy and enumeration have been on-going with state aggregators in charge of supplying the materials working round the clock to meet their targets.

Commenting on the take-off of the programme in Abuja, the Minister Sadiya Umar Farouq said: “The turn-out has been impressive in Abuja and it is clear confirmation that Mr. President’s directive for a proactive intervention was a timely one. Covid-19 is taking a health, economic and humanitarian toll on Nigerians and this modified programme is a means of providing relief. It is also boosting the economy by providing income for those in the supply value chain especially poultry farmers.”

The commencement of the modified programme, while school children are at home with schools shut as a result of the pandemic, is sequel to a March 29th, 2020 presidential directive from President Muhammadu Buhari who directed the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to liaise with state governments to develop strategies on the continuation of the school feeding programme.

The Ministry in consultation and collaboration with state governments identified the distribution of Take-Home Rations (THR) to the households of the children on the programme as a feasible method of achieving this directive after exploring several options. This is a globally accepted means of supporting children to continue to have access to nutrient rich foods despite disruptions to the traditional channels of school feeding.

TrackaNG is monitoring while other agencies of government including the DSS, EFCC, ICPC, Code of Conduct Bureau and a host of NGOs and CSOs are helping to ensure the programme is not compromised.

On Wednesday May 6, 2020, Sadiya Umar Farouq, the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development gave a briefing at the daily media interaction of the Presidential Task Force.

During her briefing she tried to bring her audience up to speed with activities and interventions in her ministry since her last briefing on May 1, 2020.

Her opening salvo caught people’s attention: “In the time since I was here last, we have made progress on the overhauled Home Grown School Feeding Programme and sensitization has already begun in the 3 frontline states of Lagos, Ogun and the FCT in readiness for full implementation.”

Her announcement, understandably, made the news. “Why we’re going ahead with school feeding during lockdown” Vanguard noted in its headline before reporting that “The federal government, Thursday, explained that it decided to go ahead with the feeding of school children captured in its Home Grown School Feeding Programme, NHGSFP, even when schools were still shut down as a result of coronavirus pandemic, because of its commitment and determination to cushion the hardship vulnerable school children were facing at home following the COVID-19 lockdown… Mrs. Farouq said her “ministry in consultation and collaboration with state governments identified the distribution of Take-Home Rations (THR) to the households of the children on the programme as a feasible method of achieving this directive after exploring several options.”

The newspaper report made it to twitter where it was greeted with comments, many of them insulting and disparaging and clearly showing proof that there was a huge problem of comprehension regarding the programme

One of the comments from the handle @inkredible_ caught my attention for its sheer vitriol: “Your love for projects that can’t be tracked and evaluated accurately is overwhelming. U obviously want to Name a huge figure that can’t be trailed nor tracked with accuracy. The evil in the heart of the rulers of Nigeria is unimaginable.”

His tweet contained obvious false accusations and half-truths that one feels compelled to point them out.

@inkredible_ wrote that the minister’s “love for projects that can’t be tracked and evaluated accurately is overwhelming” and in so doing missed the point completely because the minister was clear in her briefing and the newspaper report was unequivocal; the idea for the overhauled school feeding programme came from the president via a pronouncement in his March 29th 2020 national broadcast during which he said – “although schools are closed, I have instructed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to work with state governments in developing a strategy on how to sustain the school feeding programme during this period without compromising our social distancing policies.”

What is a minister to do, disobey a directive from the President?

Secondly this is not something the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development woke up one morning and decided to undertake. According to its widely reported press statement, the ministry in complying with the presidential directive, consulted with the State Governments and jointly identified the distribution of Take-Home Rations (THR) as a feasible method of achieving this directive after exploring many options and following consultations with state governments and sundry partners, the plan was adopted.

So, the first fallacy debunked is that the project did not originate from the minister and if that is the case, where is the so called love for projects that can’t be tracked?

Now, it will surprise many to note that contrary to speculations, the Take-Home Ration option is not a Nigerian invention neither is it a HOME GROWN scam. According to the World Food programme, there are 17 countries currently distributing Take Home rations to school children. In Liberia Take Home Rations have been distributed since 2019.

Going further in traducing the minister, the twitter user wrote: “U obviously want to Name a huge figure that can’t be trailed nor tracked with accuracy.”

To address this accusation it is important to point out that the minister in her appearance at the Presidential Task Force briefing on Friday May 15, 2020 informed the whole world that to ensure transparency in the process it has invited other agencies of government including the DSS, EFCC, ICPC, Code of Conduct Bureau and a host of NGOs and CSOs to help monitor the programme. The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau noted through a tweet that he was at the flag off with his operatives to monitor the process.

Surely, a criminal does not invite the police to watch it commit a crime.

But for the avoidance of doubt the ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development is not implementing this programme. It is merely facilitating and supervising. The Federal Government has provided the funding while the states are implementing. All the vendors supplying food have been chosen, not by the FG, but by the states.

Now, how much is this project costing the Federal government? Vanguard Newspaper in its Wednesday May 13, 2020 edition provided an inaccurate figure as well as an inaccurate premise. It’s headline was – Worry, as FG spends N679m daily on feeding schoolchildren during lockdown.

The figure is inaccurate because, though the ministry has not provided a figure, a quick arithmetic will show that if each Take-Home Ration is worth N4,200 then 3,131,971 rations (total number of targeted households to be impacted) will cost N13,154,278,200 for the intervention excluding logistics costs.

And the Vanguard story gave a wrong premise because the programme is not a daily programme costing N679m per day. It is, as Sadiya Farouq, noted at the PTF briefing a covid-19 Intervention.

And talking about figures, no one is looking at what this programme will do for local farmers and the Nigerian economy. Poultry farmers for instance are in for a huge windfall. Each Take Home ration is comprised of 5 kg Bag of Rice, 5 kg Bag of Beans, 500 ml Vegetable Oil, 750 ml Palm Oil, 500 mg Salt, 15 pcs of eggs, 140gm Tomato Paste.

Now, with every one of the beneficiaries receiving 15 eggs in their Take Home ration it means that the programme is sourcing 46,979,565 eggs at a time when poultry farmers are groaning about an egg glut.

The twitter user’s final quip to the effect that “The evil in the heart of the rulers of Nigeria is unimaginable” clearly showed that he or she has not kept abreast of global trends. Feeding children whether in school or out of school can never be equated with evil.

A 2013 UN report indicated that National school feeding programs feed as many as 368 million school children daily all over the world.

The report also showed that as at 2016, nine countries in Sub Saharan Africa were implementing school feeding programmes and the countries included Nigeria Botswana, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Namibia, and South Africa. And as earlier stated, Liberia which has joined them, is presently giving out Take-Home Rations. So, where is the evil?

School feeding according to experts is important in the sense that children who eat good food in school get required nutrients, stay on in school because they are incentivized and usually never miss school because to miss school is to miss food.

In Nigeria, the school feeding programme was initiated in 2016 as part of the government’s Social Investment Programme to provide 1 free nutritious meal daily during school term. With schools shut down but with children still hungry, President Buhari realizing that for many children from vulnerable homes, not going to school could mean going without food, directed the ministry to find a means of feeding children already enrolled in the programme even while they are on lockdown.

While one can always take issues with governance and our ruling elite in Nigeria, this initiative to overhaul the National Home Grown School feeding Programme so that it impacts school children from vulnerable households is one initiative that deserves applause.

For Doubting Thomases and naysayers, a Reuters news report of May 7, 2020 should convince them. “South African children face hunger as school closure halts free meals” screams the story headline before going ahead to report that “The closure of South Africa’s schools seven weeks ago halted a national feeding programme providing meals to 9 million extremely poor children, filling their stomachs and helping them get through the classroom day to get an education.”

That is one story that will clearly not be written about Nigeria thanks to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

The former acting managing director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Gbene Joy Nunieh, who was sacked recently, has blown hot over her dismissal by the minister for Niger Delta, Senator Godswill Akpabio. According to her, the minister deceived members of the public with the reason given for her sack from the office.

Nunieh was recently sacked over issues bothering on alleged sharp practices and unverified contracts payment running into billions of naira.

But the former NDDC boss debunked the allegation leveled against her by Akpabio in an interview.

She described the Niger Delta minister as a pathological liar.

According to her, Senator Akpabio wanted to compel her to swear to an oath of secrecy and loyalty.

The ex-Ag NDDC managing director alleged that in one of their peace meetings in Abuja, Senator Akpabio, as part of his conditions for peace, wanted her to accept the oath of secrecy and loyalty in the presence of other members, adding that she turned down the request as it was against her Christian faith.

She said that the minister sacked her due to her refusal to go for the oath ritual and again due to her blunt refusal to approve unusual payments for his numerous contracts without verification from Akwa Ibom State and his other loyal contractors.

She revealed in the interview that Akpabio could not tell the press that she was sacked due to sharp practices in NDDC as acting managing director, adding that she left billions of naira in office as at the time she left.

Dr. Joy added that Akpabio wanted her to divert NDDC funds to sponsor his presidential ambition in 2023, which she said she also refused.

She said that her sins against Akpabio was her refusal to take an oath of secrecy and pay his phoney Akwa Ibom contractors.

She said further that she turned down Akpabio’s request to sponsor his 2023 presidential ambition with the common wealth of the people of Niger Delta, which she said is meant to carry out developmental projects in the oil-producing, but suffering communities.

She said that she could not join Akpabio to steal the money of Niger Delta people as she is the highest traditional title holder in Ogoniland in Rivers State, and that she could not please Akpabio and offend the Almighty God.

The woman recalled that there was a reason she was the only survivor in a boat mishap, where all the other nine occupants died.

She vowed to open up at the right time to tell Nigerians many things about Akpabio and NDDC generally.

Dr. Joy Nunieh’s words: “Thank you my brother, you said you are a journalist and you said Akpabio opened his mouth to tell you that he sacked me from office because I was paying unverified contracts money running into billions of naira. I don’t believe Akpabio can tell you that lie. If he did, then, he is a pathological liar. Did you put him on record?

”I will just give you a brief as I will speak at the right time. Let me today tell the world why Akpabio sacked me because he has been pushing me to open up.

“Akpabio wanted to compel me to swear to an oath of secrecy and loyalty in the presence of other two top NDDC male officials.

“He tried to do that on about three consecutive times and I looked at his face and bluntly told him no, that the God I serve is bigger than his secret oath.

“A secret oath to allow him loot the money belonging to the people of Niger Delta and I refused his request.

“Akpabio wanted me to sponsor his presidential ambition in 2023 with the money meant for the development of Niger Delta, which I bluntly refused. These are some of my offences against Akpabio. I don’t regret standing on the path of my people.

”Akpabio is a common thief, he lied to you that I was sacked because of sharp practices. He stole the common wealth of Niger Delta people. Let Akpabio face his probe and leave me alone. He wanted to drag innocent people to fall with him. I refused to join him on his oath of secrecy to cover him by signing fake contract documents.

“That is the sole reason he sacked me. He was also saying that I am not a lawyer. He also boasted that I came to Abuja to beg him. Are you recording? Listen, since he sacked me from my job, I have not travelled out of Port-Harcourt.

“This common mouthy criminal said I travelled to Abuja to beg him. Akpabio is a pathological liar. He has been running a campaign of calumny to discredit or tarnish my hard earned reputation.

“I serve God and no amount of calumny will do me any harm. Let me use this privilege to tell Nigerians and the Inspector General of Police that from this moment, if any fly perches on my skin and causes any physical damage to my skin and my immediate family members, Senator Godswill should be held responsible.

“I know why I am saying this because Akpabio is a dubious character, who is morally unfit to hold any sensitive public office in the country.

”I am highest traditional title holder in Ogoniland. I cannot steal from Niger Delta. I am an activist. Akpabio is benefitting from what he didn’t know how it came about.

‘He didn’t know how NDDC was established. There is a reason I was the only survivor of a boat mishap with nine occupants. My God is stronger than the gods of Akpabio.

“He will certainly perish. He will not have peace in his entire life,” she said.

However, Godswill Akpabio, in an interview, stated why he sacked Dr. Joy Nunieh. His words ”I sacked her because she did not perform up to expectation by paying unverified contracts money running to billions of naira.

“Majority of the contracts are water hyacinth distilling. Some are without due process. She was bringing embarrassment to the commission, which I am bent on sanitizing through forensic auditing.

“Dr. Joy was not sacked because of NYSC certificate forgery as it was peddled in some media. Thank you for calling to confirm your stories before publishing.

“I will forward to you her NYSC certified true copy from the NYSC board to tell you that her sack had no bearing or connection with NYSC, but sharp practices in NDDC.”

Leading financial services provider, First City Monument Bank (FCMB), has continued to blaze the trail with innovative and value-added offerings to boost the productivity and overall performance of businesses.

The latest is an initiative tagged, “Top-5-In-5”, a digital video knowledge sharing and capacity building series designed to give Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) practical insight into different areas of business to inspire them to operate optimally and successfully.

FCMB indicated that the “Top 5-in-5” initiative is one more way it aims to add value to Nigerian SMEs and ensure they can truly #ThriveWithFCMB. In a statement, the Bank explained that the series will run for an initial period of 7 weeks, with a new episode released every week. Each episode will feature accomplished thought leaders and experts across diverse areas of business who will deliver 5 quality tips in 5 minutes, to help SMEs explore solutions to specific challenges or pain-points.

The impressive line-up of experts showcased in the series includes Bisi Adeyemi, Managing Director of DCSL Corporate Services Limited; Kelvin Balogun, Senior Partner at Verraki Partners; Aramide Abe, CEO/Founder Naija Startups and Bukola Smith, Executive Director, Business Development, FCMB. Other thought leaders are Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, Managing Director, CMC Connect; Omotolani Tayo-Oshikoya, Chief Operating Officer, TISV Digital and James Ilori, Managing Director, FCMB Asset Management.

Some of the topics are, Building A Sustainable Business that Outlives You; Differentiating Your Business Through Innovation and Raising Funds For Your Business. Other topics include Making Your Network Work For Your Business; Growing A Thriving Side Hustle and Diversifying Your Investment Income.

The videos and other information on the series, including a section that offers viewers the opportunity to download useful resources, can be accessed on https://top5.fcmb.com/.

Despite the challenges of the environment, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic, FCMB has remained resilient and has sustained the tempo of its support to businesses. As the number one Bank for SMEs in Nigeria, the financial institution has championed and executed several initiatives in this regard, thereby enhancing customer experience.

Among these are series of free online trainings, capacity building and empowerment programmes. For instance, in April FCMB organised a BEST Masterclass Webinar on “Turning Challenges Posed By COVID-19 Into Opportunities”. In addition, the Bank has organised various webinars in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the most recent of which held on Tuesday, May 12 with the theme “Adjusting Your Business Plan During Crisis”.

FCMB has also gone further to support borrowing business customers by providing payment moratoria (loan repayment holiday) during this period to ensure that they can survive, pay their workers and remain in business.

FCMB Connects Entrepreneurs To Experts With "Top-5-In-5" Initiative
These bespoke offerings and solutions from FCMB are geared towards ensuring that businesses are well equipped to overcome challenges and thrive in a sustainable manner.

Visit https://top5.fcmb.com/ for more information.

Keystone Bank Limited has launched an online platform to empower Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) with knowledge to manage and grow their businesses in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The lender in a statement on Wednesday disclosed that the programme tagged: “Keystone Bank Online MSME Academy” is aimed at helping SMEs cope with the operational stress of the current pandemic and will serve as an enabler for business owners to create an active online presence, digitalize their product, services and find new ways to connect with their customers.

“One way to identify an SME-centric bank is the length it is willing to go in finding new ways to help SMEs to survive and thrive in the current harsh business environment.

“Keystone Bank has demonstrated this passion during the Covid-19 crisis by initiating an online platform to empower SMEs with knowledge in managing and growing their businesses,” the bank said.

Participants at the first edition of the initiative held on the 24th of April, 2020 with the theme: “Managing our business cash flow in times of uncertainty”, gave positive testimonials on how relevant and rewarding they found the training. During the training, participants were taken through series of webinars, digital marketing trainings, digital media services and the provision of other value adding business tools to improve business branding, visibility, profitability and easy connectivity with customers.

Speaking on the initiative, Keystone Bank’s Head of MSMEs, Helen Nwelle, said: “It was no accident that Keystone Bank came up with such an initiative because the bank has always had a culture of helping SMEs grow through the provision of diverse business solutions.”

“This culture is clearly spelt out in our tagline as a bank – WE GROW TOGETHER – because at Keystone Bank we believe that SMEs are the engines of socio-economic transformation as they offer opportunities for jobs and wealth creation as well as income redistribution within our society.

“The current pandemic and its untold impacts has caused a lot of panic in the business scene all around the world and Nigeria is not left out. We are aware that many SMEs are worried about what the future holds for their businesses and how to manage their businesses in order to guarantee business continuity post-Covid-19 crisis. This was why we considered it important to proactively create an enabling environment for them to thrive even in the midst of the pandemic’’

“This development is no doubt an exemplary one from Keystone Bank and SMEs who desire to grow should consider the Bank as a partner.”

“Other interesting training have been lined up for the coming weeks which will be delivered in partnership with seasoned business experts, and promises to be relevant during the pandemic and beyond,” she said.

Ecobank Nigeria has reiterated that its agency banking scheme, also known as Xpress Points, is building entrepreneurs and pushing financial inclusion to the large unbanked and under-banked population in Nigeria. The Ecobank Xpress Point enables eligible Agents to carry out financial transactions on behalf of Ecobank and earn commission on every transaction processed.

The consumer experience is very good as customers can do simple deposit, payment and transfers in their own neighbourhood rather than travel for hours to a bank branch. Ecobank Xpress Points is also a channel that can be used for the deployment of national social intervention programmes of the Government.

The aim of the Xpress Point is to let every Nigerian and household have access to Ecobank services within their neoghbourhood to provide easy banking services.

Speaking in Lagos, Nike Kolawole, Head, Agency Banking, Ecobank Nigeria, said unemployed and retired persons should avail themselves the opportunity to earn extra income by keying into services offered by the bank as Xpress point agents.

According to her, the Ecobank Xpress point which are in various neighbourhoods across the country, are well positioned to facilitate basic financial transactions, with the process and services simplified to attend to a broad spectrum of the society.

She further disclosed that agency banking in general, brings about economic and youth empowerment by way of job creation and earning extra income, adding that small savers can easily do their savings at home or near their home. This leads to financial inclusion of the underbanked in the country.

For now, Ecobank has over 43,000 agents across Africa. The agents carry out financial transactions on behalf of Ecobank and earn commission per transaction processed. Xpress Points can also be used as a channel for the deployment of national social intervention programmes, especially at this time that we are fighting the impact of lockdowns due to the COVID-19.”

Kolawole listed the services offered by the Xpress point agents as; cash in, cash out, fund transfer, bills payment, airtime recharge, remittance and account opening, among others. She added that the services are available for “sole proprietors, partnerships, co-operative societies, microfinance banks, companies with large distribution network – like petrol stations, FMCGs, telecommunication companies, super agents, aggregators and unregistered businesses such as petty traders, hair saloon and others.”

Ecobank boasts of a bouquet of digital channels comprising solutions aimed at delivering convenient, accessible and reliable financial services. For instance, users of the bank’s USSD code, *326# carry out transactions without paying session charges. The USSD platform, *326#, makes it possible to open an Xpress account and Xpress Save account instantly. The bank’s mobile banking app, Ecobank Mobile offers the option of generating a virtual card; this comes in handy as customers are continually turning to web payments for their shopping and payments.

The Ecobank virtual card offers the flexibility and convenience of creating a shopping card that is not linked to a customer’s account but is fully capable of carrying out online payments. The virtual card can also be shared with loved ones as a gift card for their own shopping.

The face-off between Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, and his predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole, the current National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), further degenerated with a Judicial Commission of Inquiry setup by Obaseki indicting Oshiomhole for breach of the state’s Public Procurement Law.

The Judicial Commission of Inquiry, chaired by Justice James Oyomire (retd), was inaugurated by Obaseki to unravel the misery surrounding construction of the Edo Specialist Hospital and supply of equipment for the hospital.

Obaseki, while receiving the report of the committee at Government House, in Benin City, on Thursday, assured that anyone found culpable, no matter how highly-placed, would be called to account for their action.

The governor said: “We have been putting the right measures in place and if there are resources of government that need to be returned, we will not hesitate to ask for it.

“Since I came into office, you cannot find this type of breach you have mentioned. If people have to face prosecution, whether civil or criminal, they will have to be prosecuted.

Earlier, Oyomire, who presented the report to Obaseki, said the award of the contract for the construction of the hospital was fraught with breaches of the state’s procurement laws.

According to him, the law clearly states that any contractor working on a government project should not receive more than 25 percent upfront payment upon contract award, which Oshiomhole’s administration contravened.

“The immediate past administration paid 75 percent of the contract sum upfront for the project to Vamed Engineering”.

He added that part of the commission’s 8-point recommendation includes that the Ministry of Justice should institute civil and criminal actions against those found culpable in the breach of the law.

The recommendations, according to him, also include the strengthening of the state’s public procurement agency and ensuring strict adherence to the provision of the agency’s law on award of contract.

As part of proactive measures to cushion the effect of the COVID-19 and revamp the nation’s dwindling economy, Heritage Bank is set to disburse the N100billion set aside by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

This is in line with the apex bank’s policy to introduce another intervention scheme directed to the health sector, which is known as the NGN100 Billion Credit Support for the Healthcare sector (the Scheme). Specifically, the scheme is to provide credit to indigenous pharmaceutical companies and other healthcare value chain players intending to build or expand capacity.

Also, the CBN resumed provision of foreign exchange to all commercial banks for onward sales to parents wishing to pay schools fees and small medium enterprises (SMEs) with plans to make essential imports needed to revamp economic activities across the country. In particular, the CBN is resuming the provision of over US$100 million per week for both categories.

Meanwhile, Heritage Bank serves as a conduit which will assess and channel the profiles of interested applicants to the CBN while using its platforms to create awareness for the scheme.

The CBN has also made complete arrangements to resume foreign exchange sales to the BDC segment of the market for business travels, personal travels, and other designated retail uses, as soon as international flights resume.

To access the N100bn loans provided by the CBN for firms in the healthcare sector, a corporate entity must submit its application to a participating financial institution (PFI) which could be either a Deposit Money Bank or a Development Finance Institution of its choice with a bankable business plan.

It stated in its latest guidelines that the PFI must appraise and conduct due diligence on the application; and upon approval by the PFI’s credit committee, the application would be submitted to the apex bank with relevant documents attached.

The CBN would process and disburse funds to the PFI for onward release to the project, it added.

The CBN stated that the PFI must receive and review applications submitted by its customers; undertake due diligence based on normal business considerations, and bear the credit risk.

They must also issue offer letters and forward qualified applications to the CBN; disburse the released funds to successful applicants; monitor the project and recover the loans from the beneficiaries, and maintain adequate records of all beneficiaries and facilities.

It requires the PFIs to register all movable assets with the National Collateral Registry; forward periodic returns in the prescribed format on the scheme to the CBN; comply with the guidelines, and carry out any other duties as the CBN may prescribe from time to time.

According to the CBN, eligible participants under the scheme comprise healthcare product manufacturers – pharmaceutical drugs and medical equipment; and healthcare service providers/medical facilities – hospitals/clinics, diagnostic centres/laboratories, fitness and wellness centres, rehabilitation centres, dialysis centres and blood banks, among others.

Others include pharmaceutical/medical products distribution and logistics services; and other human healthcare service providers as may be determined by the CBN from time to time.

Eligible activities under the scheme would include manufacturing of pharmaceutical drugs and medical equipment; establishment/expansion/upgrade of basic and specialised healthcare facilities; and medical/pharmaceutical supplies.

Others are medical/pharmaceutical research and development; distribution of medical/pharmaceutical drugs and supplies; Manufacturing of medical/pharmaceutical drugs distribution technology; and any other healthcare value chain activity as may be prescribed by the CBN.

The CBN said the term loan had a maximum of N2billion per obligor; and the interest rate under the intervention would not be more than five per cent per annum up until February 28, 2021; and that interest on the facility would revert to nine percent as from March 2021.

To access further details on the modalities, interested persons and institutions can logon Heritage Bank’s website (www.hbng.com).

The Minister, Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq has flagged off the modified Home Grown School Feeding Programme in the FCT.

Sadiya Farouq performed the commencement of the programme today in Kuje, Abuja.

She said that the Modified Home Grown School Feeding is a National Programme funded by the Federal Government but implemented by the states.

According to Farouq: “The ministry is working hard with our partners both at National and International levels to mitigate the challenge posed by hunger especially during this trying period.”

The Minister disclosed that she was in Kuje to flag off the commencement of the modified programme in the FCT and to also conduct a spot check of the operations.

Farouq explained that hunger is a serious by-product of this pandemic crisis, which is why from the onset the Ministry has been evolving strategies to facilitate humanitarian interventions in the country.

She maintained that the commencement of the school feeding programme today was based on Mr. President’s directive to the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to liaise with State governments to develop strategies on the continuation of the school feeding programme.

She further disclosed that the Ministry in consultation and collaboration with State governments identified the distribution of Take-Home Rations (THR) to the households of the children on the programme as a feasible method of achieving this directive after exploring several options, this according to her is a globally accepted means of supporting children to continue to have access to nutrient rich foods despite disruptions to the traditional channels of school feeding.

She highlighted that beginning from today in Abuja, this programme will target parents and guardians of children in primary 1 to 3 in public schools participating in the programme.

‘’We are working with the World Food Programme, who are providing technical support while other agencies of Government have been invited to provide an extra layer of monitoring. They include the DSS, EFCC, ICPC, Code of Conduct Bureau and a host of NGOS and CSOS. The Ministry is using the opportunity of the Programme to collect and verify data with the support of CSOs and NGOs’’, she added.

The programme will impact 3,131,971 households across the nation out of which the FCT has 29,609 households. The Take Home Rations will be distributed to parents and guardians of the children in six Area Councils in FCT- Kuje, Kwali and Abaji on Thursday and Friday while the distributions continue in Amac, Bwari and Gwagwalada on Monday and Tuesday next week.

Sadiya Farouq said Lagos and Ogun states are next ports of call before the programme moves to other states of the Federation.

In his remarks, the Nigeria Country Director, World Food Programme, Paul Howe, noted that everyone shares the aspiration for Nigeria to be a country with zero hunger but COVID-19 had really been a setback.

He said the WFP and other partners are in support of the Ministry’s leadership in trying to address in a high quality, effective and timely manner the crises of hunger caused by COVID-19.

Howe encouraged more collaboration between the Ministry and other partners to achieve zero hunger for Nigeria.

In an effort to curb the spread of the deadly Corona Virus pandemic, and to further support government in making living easier for the masses, a non-governmental organization, Herbert Onyewumbu Wiwge, (HOW) Foundation, has put smiles on the faces of thousands of people in some communities in River State.

The foundation distributed sundry foodstuffs and relief packages to several homes, families, and communities in the state, as part of its complementary efforts to alleviate the mounting effects of the lockdown and restrictions measures adopted by the Rivers State government re-Covid-19.

Notably, HOW Foundation’s activities in the state are basically to alleviate the effects of the lockdown and by extension, aid the underprivileged people in the state to stay home as the lockdown begins.

The foundation’s CEO, Ms. Antonia Ally, made it known to the people of Isiokpo community and its environs that the NGO’s decision is to spread love and alleviate the effects of the lockdown on the people of Rivers State in general and to connect with the mission statement of the non-profitable organization.

According to her, the foundation has been feeding several homes and indigents in Lagos state for weeks and had now decided to extend this novel gesture to the good people of Isiokpo community and its environs. “We believe that majority of those that are alive today have never experienced a pandemic and to cushion the effects of the lockdown occasioned by COVID-19, the HOW Foundation had made available palliatives to the people of Isokpo and its neighboring communities in River State,” she said.

The founder of the foundation, Mr. Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe, also added that the serial distribution of foodstuffs to people is a conscious plan to tackle the post-pandemic effects. He said a lot of businesses have been badly affected and economies have been disrupted, and as a foundation we have come to the aid of the people and assist this Isokpo community by targeting the households with the distribution of our food relief materials.

His Majesty, Blessing Wagor (JP), the Nye Nwe Ali of Isiokpo community, thanked the foundation, especially the founder, Herbert Wigwe. “He is a good man who remembered the people of our community in this troubled period of hunger, and he has also promised that the palliatives will be shared to all the families in the community with the help of our council chiefs,” he said.

In his remarks, Chief Wobodo Amadi, Chairman Isiokpo Council of Chiefs, added a thankful prayer for the founder of the foundation and said: “Those who remember to feed the needy in this deadly pandemic period deserve more blessing and as he (Herbert Wigwe) is feeding us, God won’t let him, his family and the entire team to be hungry, God will continue to protect you all, thank you.”

To date, the HOW Foundation has been changing and shaping the lives of many with their focus and three major agenda that consist of health, education and empowerment, all of which have formed the fulcrum on which the NGO designs its programs and activities to ensure that they make positive and measurable impacts to be made these specific areas.

The foundation has over the years been fighting malaria and prostate cancer with massive awareness to eradicate the health challenges across the country.

Professor Ibrahim Gambari has been appointed as the Chief of Staff to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

Gambari’s appointment was announced by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, at the Federal Executive Council virtual meeting on Wednesday.

We had reported that Gambari arrived at the Presidential Villa about 10.53am on Wednesday.

Gambari was screened on arrival for COVID-19, including having his temperature checked and using a hand sanitiser before he was ushered into the main building.

Gambari, a 75-year-old Wambai of Ilorin Emirate, replaced Abba Kyari who died on April 17 from coronavirus-related complications.

The jostle for President Buhari’s new ‘gatekeeper’

Since the death of Kyari as a result of coronavirus complications, big names in Nigeria’s political echelon have been favoured to replace the Borno-born lawyer, businessman, economist and editor.

Among them were Adamu Adamu (minister of education), Boss Mustapha (secretary to the government of the federation), Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, Colonel Hameed Ibrahim Ali, retd (Customs comptroller genera), Major General Mohammed Monguno (national security adviser), Hadi Sirika (minister of aviation), Rotimi Amaechi (minister of transport) among others.

But on Tuesday, President Buhari took everyone by surprise with reports claiming he has favoured the Ilorin-born diplomat to continue the good job where his best friend of 45 years, Kyari, stopped.

Buhari was said to have had breakfast with his next chief of staff where he offered him the appointment.

The man, Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, will be Abba Kyari’s successor, becoming Nigeria’s 5th chief of staff since 1999. Source: UGC

Interestingly, the speculation became clear after Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, Emir of Ilorin, reportedly wrote the president for entrusting the position on the valorous son of the kingdom.

“Out of the list of about 14 candidates available to the President, Gambari is the least exposed to the vagaries of Nigerian politics. He is a diplomat and an international bureaucrat,” a source from the presidency disclosed.

“The appointment was made to pick an apolitical fellow and to correct the mistake of the past where the Office of the Chief of Staff is exposed to politics and pressure from politicians.”

But who is Professor Gambari – Nigeria’s fifth chief of staff since 1999?

Born in Ilorin, Kwara state on November 24, 1944, Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari is a former minister of external affairs between January 1984 and August 1985.

He attended King’s College, Lagos for his secondary education and subsequently attended the London School of Economics where he obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Economics with specialisation in International Relations.

He later obtained his Masters degree (M.A.) in 1970 and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. D.) degree in Political Science /International Relations in 1974 from Columbia University, New York, United States (US).

Gambari began his teaching career in 1969 at City University of New York before working at University of Albany. He also taught at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), in Zaria, Kaduna State.

And he was a visiting professor at three universities in Washington, D.C: Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Georgetown University and Howard University.

He was also a research fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington D.C. and a resident scholar at the Bellagio Study and Conference Center, the Rockefeller Foundation-run centre, in Italy.

The Royal blood

Gambari is blue blood of Ilorin Emirate of the Fulani ruling class family. His nephew, Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, is the Emir of Ilorin.

Stints in Nigeria’s politics and international diplomacy

Gambari, a distinguished diplomat who has represented Nigeria in several international interfaces, was a minister of foreign affairs between 1984 and 1985 when Buhari was the military head of state.

He was also the chairman of the UN Special Committee Against Apartheid between 1990 and 1994.

In January 2012, Gambari was appointed by the Secretary-General of United Nations (UN), Ban Ki-moon, as Joint African Union-United Nations Special Representative for Darfur.

Atiku, Saraki, others congratulate Gambari

There has been an outpour of congratulatory messages to the newly appointed chief of staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Gambari who replaces the late Abba Kyari.

Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation announced Gambari’s appointment at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja.

Gambari resumed in the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday and participated in the FEC meeting presided over by the President Buhari.

Congratulating Gambari, former Nigeria vice president Atiku Abubakar is hopeful that the Kwara State-born chief of staff will utilise his skills in serving the country.

“Congratulations Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, CFR on your appointment as Chief of Staff to Buhari,” Atiku tweeted on Wednesday.

“It is my hope and expectation and those of millions of Nigerians that you will deploy your varied skills garnered over the years in the service of our nation.”

In his congratulatory message, former Senate president Bukola Saraki describe Gambari as a decent man, a cerebral academic and disciplined diplomat.

Saraki, a former governor of Kwara State, believes that his fellow statesman “is coming in with the necessary pedigree that will help him to do well on the job.”

“I have no doubt that he will succeed on this onerous assignment. I urge all Nigerians to give him all the support that he needs to perform in office.”

Kwara State governor Abdulrasak Abdulrahman said Gambari’s appointment as the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari “is a befitting development that is rooted in dedication, loyalty, and history.”

Prior to the official announcement which came on Wednesday, Emir of Ilorin, Gambari’s hometown, in a statement on Tuesday evening thanked Buhari “for appointing Professor Ibrahim Gambari as his new Chief of Staff.”

The Resident Representative to Nigeria for the United Nations Development Programme Mohamed Yahya also congratulated Gambari on his new appointment on Tuesday.

“I Congratulate Prof. Agboola Gambari former UN Under-Sec-General and a true PanAfricanist, for his appointment as the new Chief of Staff to Pres @MBuhari,” Yahya tweeted.

“Looking forward to forging partnerships that will continue to support the achievement of Nigeria and Africa’s devt agenda.”

Since its establishment in 1894, FirstBank has consistently built relationships with her customers, focusing on the fundamentals of good corporate governance, strong liquidity, optimised risk management and effective leadership. These, amongst others, are the reasons the Bank has dominated the financial market for over 126 years.

The Bank has led the financing of private investment in infrastructural development in the Nigerian economy by playing key roles in the Federal Government’s privatisation and commercialization schemes, and entrenchment of the cashless policy which gave rise to electronic cards being a veritable entity in the day to day transactions among the bank’s customers. Consequently, the use of its wide range of cards, developed with the ‘man on the move’ in mind, come with far reaching benefits and rewards, connecting the remotest of places even as the world is plagued by the novel Corona virus disease today.

The world as we know it today, is a global village, and its connectivity is at the tip of an individual’s finger. That aside, it also revolves around the use of ‘ordinary’ but highly customised cards and FirstBank is a confirmed Leader in this space. There’s no gainsaying the fact that for 126 years and counting, FirstBank, Nigeria’s premier bank, with accolades and awards trailing its existence, has continued to blaze the trail in certainly every financial innovation. And as the name signifies, has continued to be the first in virtually everything banking and finance. Little wonder that in December 2015 and May 2016, FirstBank was named the first financial institution in the country to achieve sustained alternative channels transaction volumes of 100 million transactions. Subsequently in 2017, the Bank also attained the Milestone of 10million card base, a feat that is first of its kind in West Africa and Second in Africa.

There is hardly any banking innovation, which is not traced to the company that has overtime woven itself into the very fabric of the society. Commenting on FirstBank’s strides, the Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, disclosed that the bank’s 53, 000 agents across the country processed about N512 billion worth of transactions with differing values while the lockdown lasted. He noted that the bank was “able to actively support her customers, their families and businesses through these challenging times.” This is nothing short of the FirstBank advantage.

Adeduntan reiterated the faith Nigerians have in the use of FirstBank cards, saying that during the period of the lockdown, Nigerians with FirstBank cards used them 105 million times to make payments or withdrawals worth about N1.18 Trillion as they relied on the Bank to settle their banking needs. In addition, the Bank’s CEO noted that approximately 12.6 million withdrawals to the tune of N156 billion were carried out across FirstBank’s ATMs nationwide.

“Our customers made transfers over 106 million times with a total value of about N8.18 Trillion across our digital channels. We have also recorded over 275,000 new sign-ups to alternative channels covering our Firstmobile, USSD and First-Online platforms,” the CEO informed.

While calling on lovers of stress-free banking to get on board, the FirstBank CEO further assured existing customers of the bank’s relentless efforts to ensure that banking transactions continue seamlessly, adding that COVID-19 will not slow down her activities and efforts at staying true to her brand promise to her customers.

FirstBank cards come in a wide range of categories, each fulfilling tasks that are better imagined, but nevertheless are flexible and offer comfort, stress-free banking and wholesome peace of mind. It is therefore not a coincidence, that FirstBank is and remains Nigeria’s highest card transacting bank; a product of carefully thought out process, hard work and the quest to keep its customers first in all things. This is especially important at a time when movement and business activities were largely hampered by the lockdown, with the maintenance of social distance and the potential increase in the use of the Bank’s alternative channels – which is facilitated by its cards – for various transactions and business activities, thus staying safe to win the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The range of cards available to customers of FirstBank are categorised into three broad groups, viz; DEBIT, CREDIT and PREPAID Cards. The grouping covers outstanding cards offerings such as Naira MasterCard, Verve Card and the pioneering Visa Multi-Currency Card. Others are Expressions MasterCard, Platinum MasterCard, Visa Infinite Credit Card, Visa Gold Credit Card, Naira Credit Cards (Visa Classic and Platinum), Visa Prepaid Card and Verve Prepaid Card.

FirstBank’s Naira MasterCard & Verve Card are Secured by Chip & PIN technology with local POS/Web limit increase available upon request. The Naira denominated MasterCard comes with various benefits such as online purchases, bills payments and cash withdrawals at ATMs world-wide. The various transaction limit(s) on Naira MasterCard issued by the Bank are N150,000 for ATM transactions, N2,500,000 for POS and N1,000,000 for Web transactions.

The FirstBank Verve Debit Card works with Chip and PIN technology to secure transactions. It allows the cardholder to conveniently pay for goods and services and is accepted by all ATMs, POS, Web, Mobile, Kiosk, and Bank Branch connected to the Interswitch network in Nigeria. It is available to all account holders and enables daily transaction limits of N150,000, and N500,000 on ATM and POS channels respectively. Customers can transact up to N1 million on the Web in a single transaction.

FirstBank cards also offer the Card Protection Transactions feature, which allows the cardholder to activate or deactivate it for all types of transactions, channels and locations, through the Card-in-Control Service on the Firstmobile app. The steps are few and simple: On the Firstmobile app, go to Self Service > Card Services and choose card type (Debit, Credit, or Prepaid) to be activated or deactivated.

Another card innovation service by FirstBank is the Visa Gold Card, which offers higher daily spending capacity and limit on ATM, POS and Web. With the Visa Gold Card, the customer is assured of $1,000 daily ATM withdrawal, $10,000 POS transaction and $5,000 on the Web at any location around the world. It is a dollar denominated international Premium Credit Card issued in partnership with Visa International.

Moreso, it guarantees access to international emergency services such as Emergency Card Replacement & Emergency Cash Advance in situations where the card gets lost or damaged. The Visa Gold card comes handy when making airline bookings with its smooth seamless purchase options.

Yet another, among the FirstBank’s super cards, is VISA Debit Multi-Currency Card. It is by all intent and purpose, the first of its kind to be offered by any financial institution in Nigeria. It is an enhancement to the existing Visa Debit Dual Currency card and can be linked to any or all NAIRA, USD, EURO and GBP accounts. It is an international card with Chip and PIN technology which can be used to make payment anywhere in the world and across all channels – ATMs, POS & Web. With the Visa Debit Multi-Currency card, cardholders can make daily withdrawals to the tune of N150,000 (local) and $1,000 (international) from the ATM. However, on the Web, a total of N1,000,000 is permitted locally while $6,250 is allowed on the international corridor daily. POS transaction limit is N2,500,000 (local) and $2,500 (international).

The Platinum Debit MasterCard is a premium Debit Card denominated in Naira. It is linked directly to a customer’s Naira denominated Current and/or Savings account. It offers a convenient alternative to the use of cash, and cheques by giving direct access to funds in cardholders’ accounts across all channels like ATM, POS, and WEB etc.

Like other card types, its transactions are easily monitored via the FirstBank FirstMobile App or FirstBank Internet Banking service and offers 24-hour access support for all card-related complaints through First Contact. It is a card linked to a Naira denominated account, and it is valid for three years.

It is designed to suit the lifestyle of senior and management executives of multinational companies and leaders across various industries and sector of the global economy. Its daily limits include; ATM: N300,000; POS: N3million; Web: N2,000,000 as well as Cross-border TXN limit: $500 monthly.

For a brand that has consistently remained on top of its game, FirstBank Cards have received global recognition, as well as multiple honour for its reliable and trusted services.

Speaking further, Adeduntan highlighted that the contactless capability of the bank’s Visa and MasterCards support less human-to-human contact in executing transactions, in the same way that the Debit Cards have remained the base channel for self-onboarding to any digital channel such as USSD, Firstmobile, FirstOnline etc. It is therefore, imperative that customers get a Debit Card because of its peculiar nature to get enrolled on FirstBank’s digital channel for the best of services.

FirstBank’s benevolence did not end with making cards available to customers, but has initiated value added services attached to the cards including ‘discount at Merchants location such as Jumia Friday, Health Plus, among others. These are, without an iota of doubt, exclusive to FirstBank cardholders. This is why you must get your card(s) if you are yet to. Email us at firstcontact@firstbanknigeria.com, or call your Relationship Manager/Private Banker for whatever card options you require.