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approves new 5-year strategy for Nigeria amidst COVID-19 concerns

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved Nigeria’s Country Strategy Paper (CSP) 2020-2024, which builds on the successes and challenges of the 2013-2019 edition.

The bank’s Communications and External Relations Department in a statement on Friday said the strategy was approved on May 27.

It stated that the approval also incorporated emerging developmental realities and opportunities shaping Nigeria’s political and economic landscape, including the post-COVID-19 period.

The statement quoted Mr. Ebrima Faal, Senior Director for AfDB in Nigeria, as re-affirming the institution’s support for Nigeria’s socio-economic advancement.

“In the implementation of the CSP, the Bank will also support Nigeria to address economic shocks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and oil price shocks.

“We will do this by focusing our interventions in sectors that will strengthen public health infrastructure and accelerate efforts towards economic transformation and diversification of export earnings and fiscal revenues from oil,” Faal said.

The bank noted that the 2020-2024 CSP identified supporting infrastructure development and promoting social inclusion through agribusiness and skills development as key priority areas for Nigeria.

According to AfDB, these priorities have been selected to leverage Nigeria’s rich endowment of natural and human resources toward transforming the lives of its people.

It added that in this context the new CSP had been customised to support government efforts in confronting challenges and to foster long-term, socially inclusive development.

“Under the CSP, the Bank will deploy a combination of sovereign and non-sovereign financing instruments to support the two priority areas, including investment and institutional support projects, evidence-based analytical work in numerous economic sectors, policy dialogue and provision of advisory services.

“Special focus will be put on supporting the Nigerian private sector, in terms of financing and advisory services, and on Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) initiatives that enable innovative, long-term investment in energy, transport and water, and sanitation.

“The Strategy Paper is the result of participatory consultations with a range of key stakeholders, both state and non-state actors as well as bilateral and multilateral development partners.

“The CSP is fully aligned with the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy, the High 5 priorities and Nigeria’s own Economic Reform and Growth Plan (ERGP), as well as the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“As of December 2019, the Bank Group’s active portfolio in Nigeria comprised 61 operations, with a total commitment of about five billion dollars.

“Of the total active operations, 29 were in the public sector, with a commitment of two billion dollars (43 per cent) and 32 non-sovereign operations with a total commitment of three billion dollars, equivalent to 57 per cent of the total portfolio,” the bank explained.

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NIWA reduce tariff along inland waterways to cushion effects of COVID-19

The Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, said it will reduce tariff across the country’s inland waterways as parts of its contribution towards revamping the economy battered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Managing director/ Chief Executive Officer, of NIWA, Dr George Moghalu stated this in Lokoja yesterday during an interactive session with members of the Kogi state council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ.

This is just as the agency has approved the review of the Lokoja River ports contract from N4b to N6b.

Dr Moghalu said, “Apart from putting measures in place to improve patronage of the country’s waterways, the reduction in tariff will serve as our own contribution to efforts of the Federal and state governments in revamping the economy, suffering as a result of the rampaging Covid19.

“We are considering a reduction on tariffs payable on our waterways to encourage patronage and serve as our own contribution towards efforts to improve the economy after the Covid19.

“The country’s waterways is grossly underutilised as only three thousand out of the ten thousand waterways in the country are being put to use.”

Dr Moghalu said that NIWA will spare no effort towards putting all waterways to use to reduce pressure on Nigeria roads and airports, “We want the rivers transportation to be the number one transportation system on the movement of cargoes and passengers post COVID era.

“The damage done to our roads through the movement of large cargoes is alarming. If those cargoes are moved through the water, it will make the roads last longer.

“We want to put more ferries on our waterways, open up the channel, and trade. NIWA will play a key role in ensuring the effect of the pandemic on national lives is reduced to the barest minimum.”

On the Lokoja port located at Jamata, Moghalu said the contract has been reviewed from N4,112,346,572.26 to N6,405,698,402.62 with the same contractor to handled; promised that the agency will complete the port as scheduled.

Corruption Allegations: ‘Obasa does not operate multiple accounts with our banks’

Officials of Ecobank, Wema Bank and Polaris on Friday denied that Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa is operating multiple bank accounts with them.

Some representatives of the banks spoke before the 9-man House Adhoc Committee on fact finding and investigation on the corruption allegations against Speaker Mudashiru Obasa being circulated on the social media on Friday.

The bank officials stated that it was not possible for an individual to operate multiple accounts with one Bank Verification Number (BVN).

The Committee is headed by Hon. Victor Akande (Ojo Constituency 1).

Present during the meeting were Hon. Rotimi Olowo, Hon. Yinka Ogundimu, Hon. Lukmon Olumoh and Hon. Mojisola Alli-Macaulay.

A Business Development Officer with Wema Bank, Mr. Adekunle Adeleke said that the BVN server did not reserve with any bank, and that it is with the CBN.

“SaharaReporters stated the account number and other details in their reports, but they didn’t state the BVN. What SaharaReporters wrote is not BVN. There are a lot of errors in their report.

“The BVN and the accounts stated in the story are not correct and they don’t belong to the Speaker of the Assembly.

“It is not possible for a BVN to have two dates of births. If they do so, it would be rejected in another bank, they would have to swear to an affidavit so that it would be the same.

“If it should be changed, it would be backed up by marriage certificate or sworn affidavit,” he stated.

Adeleke stressed that the companies stated by SaharaReporters in their reports had no linkage with Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.

He added that the name, signature and other details in the story has no relationship with Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.

“You can write Wema Bank to confirm if the accounts mentioned by SaharaReporters had any relationship with the Speaker.

“The computer system in the bank has a digital footprint that would show any visit to any account. It will show imprint of anyone that checks the account. You can request the details of all the checks, but we will need written request from the owner of the account.

“BVN is a different server, it does not belong to any bank. You cannot punch BVN and get any financial details. It is only the regulator or the anti-corrupion agency that can do so through the CBN,” he said.

Polaris Bank was represented by Mr. Charles Osho and Mr. Rotimi Omotayo, Chief Internal Auditor of the bank.

Mr. Omotayo said that only three of the 64 accounts credited to the Speaker by SaharaReporters were with Polaris Bank.

He revealed that two of the accounts belong to one Mr. Adebayo Adeyemi David, while one belongs to Mr. Ajayi Mudashiru Obasa.

“Mr. Adebayo Adeyemi David is different from Mr. Ajayi Mudashiru Obasa and there is no linkage between the two personalities.

“Rt. Hon. Ajayi Mudashiru Obasa has one account with our bank and the BVN quoted for Obasa is correct. The other person has a separate BVN for the two accounts.

“It is not possible to check someone’s account without authorisation. There is what we call system log. Whoever accesses an account is logged on the system and we can see whoever does that.

“We know those who access any account at any point in time. We can avail you of the information if you require it,” he said.

General Manager of the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency (PPA), Mr. Onafowote Fati Idowu, who was also invited by the Committee, revealed that the 40 Toyota Corolla back-up cars bought for the 8th Assembly were with the notice of his office and that the purchase followed the due process.

He said that Certificate of Compliance was issued for the procurement of the vehicles on 30th April, 2019.

“We were communicated and we responded for the process to continue and we approved the purchase of the vehicles.

“The purchase of the vehicles was approved by the Management Committee of the House, led by the Speaker Mudashiru Obasa and the relevant documents were provided.

“Members of the Committee were Hon. Wahab Olumuyiwa Jimoh, Hon. Rotimi Olowo, Hon. Dayo Saka-Fafunmi, and Hon. Setonji David. The purchase was budgeted for and It is in tandem with the appropriate Procurement Law,” he said.

The committee subsequently adjourned sitting to Saturday 6th June, 2020 at 10am.

Buhari resumes juma’at prayer at Aso Rock Mosque

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday resumed juma’at prayer at the State House Mosque after the new guidelines on religious gathering was released.

The Friday juma’at prayers at the mosque was suspended as a result of the outbreak of the dreaded Coronavirus pandemic in compliance with the social distancing order to contain the virus.

But the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Tuesday released new guidelines to ease the lockdown, saying worship centres will only be permitted to operate for a maximum of one hour each time they meet.

The coordinator of the Task Force, Sani Aliyu, had while reeling out the new guidelines said that churches and mosques are only allowed to operate between 5 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily.

He further said that each service should last a maximum of one hour to allow time for disinfection.

He also said Friday prayers in mosques should not exceed one hour.

He had said, “For churches, each service should be for a maximum of an hour with an interval of 30 minutes in between services to allow time for disinfection.

“Mosques may open 15 minutes before and 10 minutes after prayers. The total time for Friday prayers should not exceed an hour.”

The guidelines strongly discourage all close contact including shaking of hands, hugging, kissing, handing out of materials and sharing of worship implements including prayer mats, musical organs, microphones etc.

All those (Grade Level 14 and above) who participated in the prayer were thoroughly screened and each wore a mask and also sanitized their hands, as safety measures.

Social distancing was also strictly observed in line with guidelines on public gathering.

Visitors to the Villa were who wanted to joined the prayers were politely excused by the security aides.

President Buhari was joined by his senior personal aides.

Nigeria records 328 new COVID-19 cases, total now 11,844 cases

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has just announced that the record for the COVID-19 in Nigeria have risen to 11,844.

328 new cases of COVID19 were recorded today.

The centre made this known via its Twitter handle.

The new cases per states are listed below:

328 new cases of COVID-19;

Lagos-121

FCT-70

Bauchi-25

Rivers-18

Oyo-16

Kaduna-15

Gombe-14

Edo-13

Ogun-13

Jigawa-8

Enugu-6

Kano-5

Osun-2

Ondo-2