National Assembly, A Waste Of Resources – Okorocha

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October 4, 2019

By Akinwale Kasali

Former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Owelle Okorocha, representing Imo West Senatorial District in the Ninth Senate has lamented the cost incurred by the country to accommodate 109 Senators and 360 House of Representatives members. He described it as unnecessary and, a waste of resources.

The embattled Okorocha who is under the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, watch said that the cost the country incur in accommodating the large numbers of lawmakers from each state is enormous, urging that it should be reduced drastically.

He added that there should be one senator and three members of the House of Representatives from each state to cut the cost of governance.

“What (are) three senators doing that one senator cannot do?” Here, we have three senators per state. Over there, (House of Representatives), we have 360 eligible human beings. This country must begin to make sacrifices and cut down the cost of governance.”

Okorocha queried: “what has the Ninth Senate done, that is different from what the Eight Senate did, likewise at the House of Representatives.

“And if what we are doing today is similar to what we did in the 8th senate be rest assured the product will be the same.

And “Let’s proffer solutions and not create more problems for the executives. They are waiting for us. What do we have different to show?” Okorocha queried.

Okorocha furthermore added that, “The summary of what we have been talking about is money, we don’t have enough funds to support the needs of Nigerians, to create jobs and put food on the table of the common man.

“This problem arises from the fact that we depend on only one source of income which is crude oil, which consists of over 50% of our revenue and 90% of our foreign reserves, ad this oil is static.

“We should look inwards. Let us cut our clothes according to our materials, not our sizes. The budget of Nigeria is cut according to our size not the material available and according to the solution.”

Nigeria Loses Out To England, As Abraham, Tomori Gets England Call Ups

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The Source

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October 4, 2019

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By Akinwale Kasali

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, has, again, lost out in its quest to make Chelsea Football Club duo of Tammy Abraham and Oluwafikayomi Tomori pledge their allegiance to the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

Abraham and Tomori received a call up to the ‘Three Lions’ of England fold, as the England National Team is called, to prosecute the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship qualifiers against Bulgaria and Czech Republic.

Coach Gareth Southgate of England invited the players in the wake of speculation that the players have made their intention known that between Nigeria and England, the first Nation to invite them will have their allegiance.

Though Abraham had earlier featured for England in an international friendly against Brazil and Germany in 2017.

Despite playing for England in that International friendly, he can still play for Nigeria as he was yet to feature in a competitive match for the ‘Three Lions’.

For Tomori, he will be playing his first match for England if used in the qualification match.

According to NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, Abraham had already made his intention known that he was not ready to adorn the Green and White jersey for Nigeria, while it will be a long walk for Tomori to play for Nigeria, as it has to go through a lot of processes from the Soccer governing body, FIFA, for clearance, since Tomori had featured for England in the Under-16, Under-17, Under-18 and Under-19.

Corroborating Pinnick, Coach Gernot Rohr of the Super Eagles said he doesn’t have the duo of Tomori and Abraham in his plan.

He added that just the way it took Nigeria ages to get clearance for Ola Aina, Tyronne Ebuehi, Alex Iwobi, Victor Moses, William Troost Ekong Oluwasemilogo Ajayi, and the likes from FIFA, it will be the same situation the nation would go through for the duo.

He stressed that the attitude of Abraham towards playing for the nation was unsportsmanlike, and he can’t be forced or begged.

The fear of fans of the Chelsea stars is that the duo are trailing the part of Gabriel Agbonlahor, Ugo Ehiogu, John Fashanu, Carlton Cole and other notable stars who featured for England, but regretted their actions, as they were dumped after playing a match or two for England, before being axed from the England National Team and never received any call ups again.

CBN, Banks Bicker Over Loan To SMEs

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Bayo Bernard

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October 4, 2019

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Godwin Emefiele, CBN Governor — Godwin Emefiele

By Bayo Bernard

Small and Medium Scale Enterprise, SMEs will now be able to obtain more loans from commercial banks in the country if the Central bank of Nigeria succeeds in its quest to get money banks commit more to the small business sector.

The nation’s apex bank has directed banks to raise their Bank’s Deposit Ratio to 65b per cent in its latest move to encourage the growth of SMEs in the country.

It however remains uncertain if the banks will comply with the recent directive.

Recall that the CBN had increased the LDR to 60 percent and given September 30th for banks to comply.

Many banks have not complied with the initial directive, the magazine learned from competent sources in the CBN.

The apex bank has however ratchet up it plans to make sure that the directive is not flouted according to the sources.

The banks have now been given December 31, 2019 for full compliance, a directive from the CBN said.

According to the directive obtained by the magazine, CBN expressed reservation on the failure by the banks to meet the initial desdline, srating that it’s now more committed to follow through with it.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria has noted the appreciable growth in the level of the industry growth credit, which increased by N829.4bn or 5.33 per cent from N15.56tn at the end of May 2019 to N16.39tn as at September 26, 2019, following its pronouncement on the above initiative.

“In order to sustain the momentum and in line with the provisions of our earlier letters, the minimum Loan to Deposit Ratio target for all Deposit Money Banks is hereby reviewed upwards from 60 per cent to 65 per cent. “

Consequently, all DMBs are required to attain a minimum LDR of 65 per cent by December 31, 2019 and this ratio shall be subject to quarterly review,” CBN said.

According to the apex bank, we are“To encourage Small and Medium Enterprises, retail mortgage and consumer lending, these sectors shall be assigned a weight of 150 per cent in computing the LDR for this purpose.’

Meanwhile, some experts told the magazine that it will be inappropriate to try to force banks to lend money despite the fact that exposure to that sector is very high.

some top bank executive who also spoke with the magazine said it will be hard to meet the deadline set by CBN. The banks said they should be given more time to work out modalities before complying.

Fidelity Bank Targets Non-Banking Population, Launches Savings Promo

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Uche Mbah

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October 4, 2019

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By Uche Mbah

Fidelity Bank, one of the broad based banks in Nigeria, Thursday launched a saving promotions strategy to reach out to their teeming customers, particularly the rural and less banked community.

According to the Bank, the Savings campaign which will ride primarily on digital technologies “is one of the many initiatives of the bank aimed at rewarding new and existing customers for their unwavering loyalty and patronage. “

“Dubbed ‘Get Alert In Millions (GAIM) Season 4’, the savings promo is expected to run till April 2020, a duration of six months and will see customers cart away a total of N120 million in cash prizes. Speaking at a press conference heralding the commencement of the promo in Lagos, the Bank’s MD/CEO, Nnamdi Okonkwo pointed out that the campaign is the ninth in the series of savings promos organized by the Bank in last 12 years to incentivize its customers”, the bank said in a release.

This appears to be one of the numerous strategies to take the Bank to the next level, which is achieving a first tier status by the year 2020.

The Bank Currently belongs to the second tier group of Banks, rated through Capital base and National and International spread.

“We embark on campaigns like this to drive financial inclusion in line with the financial inclusion strategy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN. This savings promo allows us to take banking services to the nooks and crannies of Nigeria”, the Chairman said, noting that savings promos remained an integral part of the Bank, and that the promo was focused on reaching out to the unbanked population across the nation.

According to him, whilst the savings promo is targeted at a cross section of customers, the Bank apart from using traditional channels will utilize digital platforms such as its Quick Response (QR) code and Virtual Assistant to reach unserved areas.

He was represented by the Executive Director, Shared Services & Products (EDSS&P), Chijioke Ugochukwu

Isaac Promise Dies At 31

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The Source

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October 3, 2019

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By Akinwale Kasali

Former Super Eagles player, Isaac Promise has died.

The former National Youth soccer Captain was said to have died earlier today, though, the cause of his death is still unknown.

Promise captained the Flying Eagles to the 2005 FIFA Under-20 Championship in Holland where the team won Silver, losing to Lionel Messi inspired Argentina 1-0.

He was also the captain of the Under-23 Olympic team that won Silver in Beijing, China, in 2008.

The late Promise was also the captain of the Nigeria Under-17 Golden Eaglets team that hoisted the nation’s flag at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Finland.

He was a trusted striker of the national youth team at all levels, and was instrumental to the successes of Samson Yebowei Siasia when he was coach of the national youth team at all levels.

Promise last played for Austin Bold Football Club in the United States of America National League.

He had stints with clubsides in Europe and played for different clubs in Turkey.

All the clubs the late Promise played for have sent their condolence messages to the family of the late striker.

He will be sorely missed by the likes of John Mikel Obi, Obinna Nsofor, Onyekachi Apam, Ambrose Vanzekin, Samson Siasia and a whole lot of his colleagues that played alongside him at youth levels.

Promise is the second player to die from the Silver winning Flying Eagles team that represented the country at the Under-20 FIFA World Cup Championship in Holland.

Adefemi Olubayo was the first to die from that squad. Olubayo died in Greece on his way to the airport to board a flight to Nigeria, a few days to his Wedding. And, now, Promise.

LADOL Boss Speaks For Women At UN

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Bayo Bernard

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October 3, 2019

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By Fola James

The Managing Director of LADOL Free Zone, Dr. Amy Jadesimi was among five industry leaders who selected the $20,000 grant winner at a United Nations’ backed empowerment programme held recently in New York, United States.

The award was won by Leah Lizarondo, CEO/Co-Founder, 412 Food Rescue.

The WE Empower UN SDG Challenge is the first-of-its-kind global business competition for women entrepreneurs who are advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals and inspiring entire communities to act to create the world we want by 2030, a statement by Kunle Kalejaye, LADOL spokesperson said.

Speaking at the event Dr Jayesinmi commends the winner and other five awardees who she said were all impressive.

“WeEmpower is putting brilliant female entrepreneurs on a global stage.

All 5 of the awardees were impressive – both in terms of the bankability of their business models and their passionate dedication to the SDGs.

These are the business models of the future.

The mainstream financial sector is largely oblivious to such opportunities, meaning they are also great undervalued investment opportunities.

Sustainable businesses, such as these, will be the drivers of global prosperity. 80% of the 680 million new jobs the world needs will come from SMEs.

We need to exponentially expand the work of organisations such as WeEmpower, so that millions of sustainable businesses and business leaders can be identified and supported across the world,” she stated.

Adding that “As part of LADOL’s ongoing development, we will be developing infrastructure and facilities to support a range of sustainable entrepreneurs and SMEs, developing innovative customised solutions for the West African market.

Investing in female entrepreneurs with sustainable business plans is one of the most lucrative ways to help ensure achieve the SDGs”

PDP Loses Two, Wins In Sokoto

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Bayo Bernard

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October 3, 2019

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By Fola James

The people of Sokoto state are currently jubilating over the pronouncement, on Wednesday in Abuja by the state election Tribunal, which confirmed the election of Governor Aminu Tambuwal

The governorship election in March, was like passing through the thespian fire for Tambuwal, who contested the seat for a second term

But after a protracted battle with the APC governorship candidate, the election tribunal upheld the election of Aminu Tambuwal who is the candidate of the PDP in the election.

In its verdict unanimously delivered in Abuja by its three-man panel, the tribunal said Governor Tambuwal, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives was validly announced a winner of the election.

The tribunal however, dismissed the petition filed by the APC and its governorship candidate, Ahmed Aliyu, to challenge the governor’s victory at the March 9, 2019 poll.

But it’s not a total sweep for the PDP on Wednesday as the party suffered defeat in other states where its candidates approached tribunals to upturn the election of APC candidates, who have been declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The PDP lost the challenge in both Plateau and Kano state where the candidates of APC, Solomon Lalong and Abdullahi Ganduje were returned by the election tribunals in the two states.

In Soko where Governor Ganduje won, the tribunal led by Justice Bawale Abdullahi ruled that the petitioner had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Besides, it held that the petitioners failed to adduce credible evidence to prove their case why the victory of Tambuwal should be upturned.

The PDP has been jubilating since the tribunal declared victory for its candidate.

The party said it knew that Governor Tambuwal will be returned because he was the choice of the people of Sokoto state.

“Indeed, Governor Tambuwal’s achievements in developing the state and empowering the people in all critical sectors of life stood him out in his first term.

His re-election, therefore, marks the determination of the people to consolidate good governance in their state,” the PDP said in a statement.

Meanwhile, President Mihammadu Buhari said the verdict of the tribunals in both Plateau and Kano is another opportunity for Ganduje and Lalong to further prove to their people that they are capable of delivering on the manifesto of the APC.

According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari congratulated both Lalong and Ganduje on their court victories.

Buhari told the APC governors to be more accountable and transparent in their dealings with their people.

“The President described the verdict of the tribunals as a victory for democracy, commending the people of Kano and Plateau states for maintaining the peace, allowing the due process of law to prevail and respecting the role of the judiciary in a democracy,” Shehu said in the statement.

The magazine has, however learned from counsels to the candidates that lost Wednesday, that they are unhappy with the verdict.

They have vowed to challenge the judgment at the Supreme court, the highest appellate court in the country on election matters.

Genevieve Nnaji Takes Nigeria To The Oscar Awards

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Uche Mbah

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October 3, 2019

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By Uche Mbah

Nigeria’s entry next year’s to the Oscar awards has been selected, and it is none other than the film Lionheart, a flick co-produced and fully directed by the internationally acclaimed thespian and megastar, Genevieve Nnaji.

Other producers were Chinny Onwugbenu and Chichi Nwoko.

The film was selected by the Nigerian Oscar selection committee, which recommended it for submission towards the 2020 Oscars.

A member of the Committee, Charles Novia, a renowned film maker of international repute, announced this on his Facebook page. But the group officially announced the entry Wednesday following the mandatory vetting and voting of entries. Entries came from Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora.

Beside Novia, one other member of the team is Chineze Anyaene, Producer and Director of Ije, a film that Genevieve and Omotola Jelade Ekeinde starred in, and whose title was provided by Nnaji. Ije was arguably an unprecedented Box office grosser. Anyaene, who chaired the committee, was deputized by the Chairman of the Audio Visual Rights Society of Nigeria, Mahmood Ali Balogun. Others include Mildred Okwo, Film critic; Celebrity actor Ramsy Noah; Filmaker Mildred Okwo; and Adetokunbo Odubawo, a renowned Cinematographer. Others are Ngozi Okafor, Movie producer; Chioma ude, AFRIFF Founder; and Director of Green-White, Green, Abba Makama.

Lionheart was the first Nigerian film to be acquired by Netflix, on september 7, 2018. It premiered at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival. It stars Genevieve Nnaji, Pete Edochie, Nkem Owoh, Onyeka Onwenu, Kanayo O.Kanayo, Chika Okpala (Zebrudaya), Kalu Ikeagwu, Sanni Muazu, Yakubu Mohammed, Ngozi Ezeonu, Peter Okoye (P-Square), and Chibuzor Azubuike (Phyno).

Lionheart was Nnaji’s Directoral debut.

Lionheart was the story of a dynamic young girl, Adaeze (Genevieve), whose father (Pete Edochie) fell ill and the burden of the business empire fell on her. However, she had the overbearing influence of her Uncle (Nkem Owoh) to contend with.

AT 59, Where Is The Hope For Nigeria?

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The Source

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October 2, 2019

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By Anthony Okogie

At 59, may God bless our leaders and all our fellow-citizens. May God bless the government and people of Nigeria with wisdom, courage and patience to work together in harmony so that we may build a Nigeria that does the will of God, a Nigeria we all can be proud of.

All those who believe in God and who wish Nigeria well must pray and work for a better Nigeria. We must not just bend our knees in prayer, we must also roll up our sleeves and work for Nigeria.

We must overcome our addiction so that we can enjoy the numerous blessings with which the Almighty had endowed us as a country—our addiction to falsehood. Our allergy to truth is our greatest undoing. But there is no therapy for denial in addiction. Addiction requires admission if there is to be real and effective therapy. Salvation is therapy, and Nigeria must admit that she is in urgent need of the therapy that salvation is. But what will save Nigeria? What, if not truth?

Our salvation begins when we begin to bear witness to the truth, when we begin to admit the truth that, fifty-nine years after independence, instead of getting better, things are getting worse. We and our leaders have a duty to our benevolent God and to our children’s children to work for a better Nigeria. The best present we can offer to Nigeria at 59 is to repent from sins against God and against Nigeria. We must, individually and collectively, resolve to work for a better Nigeria

The truth is our democracy is sick unto death, perhaps dead already, because men and women who have never stood up for democracy are the most vocal, the most active, and the most influential in our different political parties and in government circles.

Our practice of politics needs to be clearly differentiated from criminality. Our severely defective electoral process needs to be replaced before the next elections with a process that is less prone to manipulation by money, violence and incumbency, and largely insulated from exploitation of our ethnic and religious diversity.

The truth we must admit is greed has superseded service in a system where government controls the wealth in the land. Many stand for elections knowing that whoever gets into government gains access to Nigeria’s wealth or to a huge portion of it. Too many wrongly believe that public service is no service except service of their pockets. Little wonder Nigerians, citizens of a richly endowed land, live like paupers. Oil-rich Nigeriaispoverty capital of the world. Her wealth is in the hands of a few while majority live in destitution.

The truth is Nigerians have been waiting for 59 years for a government that serves the common good, waiting for the executive to do something right, for the legislature to make good laws, and for the judiciary to do justice. May we not wait in vain.

At 59, the spate of kidnapping in our country tells us a parable about our land and about we the people. Nigeria and her sons and daughters have been abducted by a self-seeking elite present or represented in the three arms of government. Admitting this bitter truth and doing something about it: that is what will save Nigeria. But to pretend that this is false is to sprint on a fast track to destruction.

The truth is our much-need war against corruption must rise above partisanship. It is alright to want to temper justice with mercy. In fact, justice and mercy are two sides of the same coin. But neither ethnic nor religious nor party affiliation should obstruct justice.

The truth is security agencies need to be trained and equipped to secure the land and its people, not just the lives of politicians, their families and their friends. It has taken us too long to fight Boko Haram. Our soldiers, young men and women, deserve adequate military equipment. So many of them have fallen unsung while putting out a fire they did not start, a conflagration caused by our dirty politics.

The truth is, fifty-nine years after independence, our youths see a bleak future and flee their fatherland, the land for whose freedom our founding fathers fought. No good education, no jobs, no security, our youths go in search of greener pastures, risk their lives crossing the arid and lonely desert and the mighty ocean, and end up in countries where they are dehumanized. Those countries know that our own political leaders desecrate our dignity. So, they have no iota of respect for bearers of Nigerian passport. Neither comfortable at home nor secure abroad, we must admit the truth if we are to be saved, for to be truthful is to be free, and to be free is to be saved.

The truth is Nigerians are unhappy because truth has been abandoned, justice banished. Honesty has become a crime, dishonesty is rewarded. Competence no longer matters. But Nigeria needs leaders who are intellectually, ethically and technically incompetent to manage her affairs.

Living in penury, Nigerians hear of senators and their cars. Unable to make ends meet, Nigerians are compelled to pay more taxes and higher banking fees. Their salaries are peanuts while the servants they thought they elected are receiving fat salaries. For the sake of morality and integrity, this country must reduce the salaries of its political officeholders.

The truth is, at 59, our country is wounded, bleeding and dying having being nailed to the cross of governmental inefficiency and falsehood. We and our leaders must quit the path of deceit. Our President and Governors, Ministers and Commissioners, members of National and State Assemblies, our judges and legal practitioners, we religious leaders, and we citizens—we all must take responsibility for healing this country.

And a special word for media aides of our leaders in every tier of government: bear in mind that insolence and falsehood do no service to Nigerians. You are not paid to insult Nigerians for daring to hold views that diverge from those held by those who appointed you. You do not serve Nigeria by insulting Nigerians on behalf of your principal. History will remember every lie you told in the name of the government. Never will the God of history forget any of those lies. Therefore, bear this in mind at all times: only the truth can save Nigeria.

At 59, we pray using words of the second stanza of our national anthem: may God guide us and our leaders right. May God be merciful to Nigeria and grant that we know the truth, love the truth, and make ourselves available for the truth to save us.

His Eminence, Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie, contributed this piece to mark Nigeria’s 59th anniversary.

Xenophobia: Anger Over Buhari’s Visit to South Africa

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The Source

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October 2, 2019

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By Oji Odu

Not a few Nigerians have expressed displeasure over President Muhammadu Buhari’s three-day State visit to South Africa which began on Wednesday, October 2, 2019. This is coming less than 24 hours after many explained that there is nothing to celebrate as the country clocked 59as an independent nation.

According to a statement by the Spokesperson to the President, Garba Shehu, the visit followed an invitation by South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa to discuss the welfare of Nigerians and find a common ground for building harmonious relations with their hosts.

The visit is said to have come up due to recent xenophobic attacks, the evacuation of hundreds of Nigerians and the exchange of visits by Special Envoys of Presidents Buhari and Ramaphosa.

But anger has greeted Buhari’s trip. Many insist it is the wronged time for the state visit.

“Has the ‘Glory’ departed from Nigeria? How could the South African President have the boldness to invite his Nigerian counterpart to such a meeting, when it was Nigerians that were mostly humiliated in his Why didn’t he come to Nigeria? Did President Buhari and his advisers weigh the odds against Nigeria before taking such decision?:

These are some of the questions Nigerians are asking.

Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode id not amused.

For him, both the invitation and the decision of President Buhari to visit that country smack of great disrespect and insult to Nigeria, which prides itself as the Giant of Africa.

He is of the opinion that Buhari should have rejected the invitation due to the attacks on Nigerians and the destruction of their properties running into hundreds of millions of dollars.

In a tweet, the former Minister wrote: “A President does not reward a foreign power that has just slaughtered his citizens with impunity with a state visit.

“@MBuhari’s visit to South Africa is inappropriate and an insult to the Nigerian people. This is yet another 1st in the ignoble hall of infamy and shame for Nigeria.”

Okon Essien, a political analyst, thinks otherwise. While he welcoms Nigeria’s action to bring back its citizens from South Africa, he believes that the country does not have the backbone to call to order South Africa’s bullying tendencies as it did in the past.

“ This is not the 1970s, 80s or 90s when Nigeria was the real “Giant of Africa”, when it was able not only to call the bluff of aparthied South Africa or Britain or France. This is the 21^st century when those resources are no more due to misgovernance, mismanagement of the country’s resources et cetera.

“ Both past and present administrations have squandered what I describe as the strength of Nigeria. Therefore, they can only fight from the point of weakness and get what they are given,” he said.

For Essien, the President’s visit is just to make another symbolic diplomatic move. He warned that raising the issue of Nigeria’s contributions in ending apartheid exposes the country’s fighting from a position of weakness.

Ameh Peters, a Sociologist and human relations expert is also of the opinion that although the Buhari administration may not have a good scorecard, it does not have the clout to dictate what it wants from Pretoria.

He said: “ Nigeria is not only a mono economy, but highly dependent on foreign goods to survive. Comparatively, it exports $514.3 million worth of goods mostly oil and oil products to South Africa annually (less than one percent of total South African exports), while South Africa exports goods worth $3.83 billion to Nigeria,”