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AfDB’s Adesina::“I am deeply grateful for the collective trust…of shareholders for electing me for a second term as President.

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August 29, 2020

AfDB’s Adesina::“I am deeply grateful for the collective trust…of shareholders for electing me for a second term as President.

By AfDB

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina re-elected as President of the African Development Bank Group
Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire August 27, 2020 – Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina has been re-elected to serve a second five-year term as President of the African Development Bank Group on Thursday, August 27, 2020 by the Board of Governors of the Bank.

A globally renowned development economist and a World Food Prize Laureate and Sunhak Peace Prize Laureate, Dr. Adesina has distinguished himself in driving a bold agenda to reform the Bank and accelerate Africa’s development. He was first elected as President of the Bank on May 28, 2015.

As newly re-elected President, Dr Adesina, a former Nigerian Minister of Agriculture, will begin his new term on September 1, 2020.

The election result, which gave him a hundred percent of votes of all regional and non-regional members of the Bank, was announced by the Chairperson of the Board of Governors of the Bank, Mrs. Niale Kaba, Minister of National Planning of Côte d’Ivoire.

The election took place on the final day of the 2020 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group, which was held virtually for the first time in the Bank’s history.

Minister Niale Kaba, said, “I am delighted that the Board of Governors have re-elected Dr. Adesina for a second term in office as President. As shareholders, we strongly support the Bank and will give him all the necessary support to carry forward and implement his compelling vision for the Bank over the next five years.”

Adesina’s first term focused on the bold new agenda for the Bank Group based on five development priorities known as the High 5s: Light up and Power Africa; Feed Africa; Industrialize Africa; Integrate Africa; and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa.

During Adesina’s first term, the Bank achieved impactful results on the lives of 335 million Africans, including: 18 million people with access to electricity; 141 million people benefiting from improved agricultural technologies for food security; 15 million people benefiting from access to finance from private investments; 101 million people provided with access to improved transport; and 60 million people gaining access to water and sanitation.

The Bank has maintained its AAA-ratings by all major global credit rating agencies for five years in a row. The Board of Governors of the Bank Group approved a 125% increase in the General Capital of the Bank, raising its capital from $93 billion to $208 billion, the largest in the history of the Bank.

The African Development Fund received a $7.6 billion pledge from donors, a 32% increase, for support to lowincome countries and fragile states. The Bank was ranked the 4th most transparent institution globally by
Publish What You Fund, bolstering its strong governance credentials for transparency and accountability.

Under Adesina’s leadership, the African Development Bank’s Board of Directors approved a $10 billion facility to support African countries to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bank also launched a $3 billion COVID-19 social bond on the global capital markets, the highest US dollar denominated social bond ever in world history, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, Luxembourg Stock Exchange and NASDAQ.

Adesina said, “I am deeply grateful for the collective trust, strong confidence and support of our shareholders for electing me for a second term as President. It is yet another call for selfless service to Africa and the African Development Bank, to which I will passionately devote myself.”
The African Development Bank is Africa’s premier development finance institution, comprising 54 regional and 27 non-regional member countries.

“The future beckons us for a more developed Africa and a much stronger and resilient African Development Bank Group. We will build on the strong foundations of success in the past five years, while further strengthening the institution, for greater effectiveness and impacts,” Adesina said.

Fani-Kayode: All Great Journalists Are “Rude”

Opinion

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August 29, 2020

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Fani-Kayode: All Great Journalists Are “Rude”

By Farooq Kperogi

I really didn’t want to comment on Femi Fani-Kayode’s viral communicative primitivism toward Daily Trust’s Calabar correspondent because of my knowledge of the state of Fani-Kayode’s mental health, but I’ve read senior Nigerian journalists on social media rail against the Daily Trust reporter for asking a “rude question,” and feel an obligation to intervene.

Rude question? Well, there’s no such thing as a “rude question” in journalism. A Chicago journalist and humorist by the name of Finley Peter Dunne once said, more than a century ago, that, “the job of the newspaper is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” In other words, journalists have no obligation to comfort the comfortable. Their duty is to afflict the comfortable or, if you like, to be “rude” to the comfortable.

Asking questions that get a politician’s dander up, that inflame a politician’s passions, is a prized skill in journalism. Here’s why: Politicians reveal the most headline-worthy information when reporters cause them to lose control of their emotions. Loss of emotional control forces them to depart from their scripted, predictable, choreographed, and often mendacious and boring performances.

It’s precisely because the Daily Trust reporter asked a “rude question” (which is a charlatan’s term for a great question) that an otherwise unremarkable news conference is now grist for social media and editorial mills.

Journalists who think the Daily Trust reporter’s question to Fani-Kayode was “rude” and worthy of censure should go look for another job. They’d do well as publicists.

Malcolm Muggeridge once said, “News is anything anybody wants to suppress; everything else is public relations.” Many Nigerian “journalists” are actually public relations practitioners polluting a noble craft.

That’s why some of them apologized to an emotionally disturbed mental midget for asking him a legitimate, probing question. One of them even said to the Daily Trust reporter, “You see your life?”

I, like every journalism teacher worth the name, teach my journalism students the skill to ask politicians trenchant questions that have the capacity to cause the politicians to throw tantrums because politicians, in a state of meltdown, such as we saw in Fani-Kayode’s news conference histrionics, let their guards down and involuntarily divulge the truth.

Smart politicians know this. Instead of allowing themselves to be immobilized by impotent anger, they respond to high-pressure, “embarrassing” questions with poise, and disarm adversarial reporters with humility, grace, and gentleness.

Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo Resigns Over Health Concerns

Foreign

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August 29, 2020

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Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo Resigns Over Health Concerns

Abe Shinzo, Japan’s longest-serving and most consequential prime minister in decades, has resigned from his post over health complications.

After weeks of speculation fueled by recent hospital visits, Abe made official what many suspected: Though his chronic ulcerative colitis is not life-threatening, he is just too sick to govern.

“I don’t want to make mistakes in important political decisions” as he deals with a worsening bout of the bowel disease, he told reporters on Friday. “I decided I shouldn’t continue sitting in this seat as long as I cannot respond to the mandate of the people with confidence.”

Abe will stay in the role he assumed for a second time in 2012 (he resigned after only one year in charge in 2007, also because of his health), but will step aside once his conservative Liberal Democratic Party picks a new leader to helm the party. That choice will likely occur by the end of September. He’ll remain a member of the parliament’s lower house afterward and key party member.

He did not name a favorite to succeed him, opening up a political scramble to lead the world’s third-largest economy — and potentially carry on his legacy.

How Abe changed Japan — and the world
The 65-year-old’s resignation is a stunning development with profound implications for the country, East Asia, and US foreign policy toward the region.

An avowed nationalist, Abe came into office eight years ago making two big promises.

The first was to jump-start Japan’s long sputtering economy — and his record on that was mixed. Japan’s economy didn’t skyrocket under his leadership, but overall it grew modestly after two preceding decades of deflation. And it recently entered a coronavirus-induced recession.

Still, he made some pretty remarkable reforms, such as allowing foreign workers into the country for five-year periods, championing major stimulus investments and changes to monetary policy, reforming the nation’s tourist industry, and making it easier — although still far from easy — for women to work outside the home by expanding kindergarten and home care.

But the recent hit to the economy, exacerbated by the nation’s coronavirus outbreak Abe failed to fully control, plunged his approval ratings into the 30s. That may have contributed to his decision to cede control now.

His second promise was much more visible to the world and controversial: Japan would pursue a muscular foreign policy with a special focus on countering China — a major break from Tokyo’s ways in the post-war era.

“I’ve realized that Japan is expected to exert leadership not just on the economic front, but also in the field of security in the Asia-Pacific,” he told the Wall Street Journal in October 2013, just 10 months after taking office. “There are concerns that China is attempting to change the status quo by force, rather than by rule of law,” he continued, adding that “it shouldn’t take that path, and many nations expect Japan to strongly express that view.”

Many Japanese allies approved of that more aggressive Japanese stance. “Abe set Japan on a grand strategy to secure a free and open Indo-Pacific that was embraced by the United States, India, and Australia and welcomed by much of South and Southeast Asia and Europe,” said Mike Green, a Japan expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington.

Such a policy required Japan to have a very close relationship with the United States, which Abe pursued and cultivated throughout his time in power. For example, he was the first foreign leader to visit President elect Donald Trump in November 2016, spending about 90 minutes with him in Trump Tower. Those advances didn’t always work, though, as Trump berated Japan over trade issues and for not paying more to host the roughly 50,000 US troops in the country.

He had other global failures, too. He didn’t complete a major effort to revise Japan’s US-created pacifist Constitution to allow for a more traditional military banned since World War II, didn’t reach deals with Russia or China over long-disputed islands, exacerbated tensions with South Korea, and failed to curb North Korea’s nuclear program alongside allies.

But for many experts, his overall record more than makes up for such shortcomings. “He did not accomplish everything Japan needed, but he accomplished more than any Japanese leader in many decades,” Green told me. “And above all, he demonstrated that Japan can lead.”

That last point is important. Despite his many mistakes, Abe’s legacy likely will be taking Japan from a country timid about acting boldly in the world to one more confident taking on global challenges.

Abe may soon be gone, then, but his impact on Japan — and the world — is primed to be felt for years to come.

Personal Data Breach: Digital Rights Lawyers Sue Unity Bank Plc

Tech law

Law & Society Magazine

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August 29, 2020

1,040

Personal Data Breach: Digital Rights Lawyers Sue Unity Bank Plc

Following the unauthorized exposure of over 53,000 job seekers on Unity Bank’s job portal, the Digital Rights Lawyers Initiative have commenced a data protection action at the Federal High Court against the bank for a personal data breach.

In Suit No. FHC/AB/CS/85/2020, filed today, 28 August 2020, the Applicant sought:

1. A DECLARATION that the Respondent’s privacy policy on its website –

“https://www.unitybankng.com/privacy” violates the provision of regulation 2.5 of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation 2019.

1. A DECLARATION that the Respondent’s unauthorized exposure of personal data of data subjects on the Internet constitutes a personal data breach under regulation 1.3(xx11) of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation 2019.

2. A DECLARATION that the Respondent’s unauthorized exposure of personal data of data subjects on the Internet constitutes violation of the data subjects’ right to privacy guaranteed by section 37 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended).

3. A DECLARATION that, by virtue of regulation 2.10(a) of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation 2019, the Respondent is liable to a fine of N10, 000, 000.

4. AN ORDER mandating the Respondent pay the sum of N10, 000, 000 (Ten million Naira only), to the account of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through the remita platform within seven days of delivery of judgement in this suit.

5. PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining Respondent, its officers, agents and/or data processors from further interfereing with the privacy rights of its data subject.

The suit is yet to be assigned to a Judge of the court.

The Illegality of Judicial Officers Participating in Workshops Sponsored by Likely Parties Before Them.

Opinion

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August 29, 2020

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The Illegality of Judicial Officers Participating in Workshops Sponsored by Likely Parties Before Them.

By Douglas Ogbankwa Esq.

A Judicial Officer by definition is a not a Civil Servant. A Judicial Officer is an Official of the Judiciary that does Justice to either Private Individuals or Public and Private Institutions.

So,it is against the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers,the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999 (As Amended ) and against Public Morality for Judicial Officers to attend Workshops,Seminers and Symposia organized and sponsored by Public Institutions that are likely to be Parties before the same Judicial Officers.

Article 13.4 of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria States This :

“Business and Financial Activities the

(i) A Judicial Officer may own investments and real property PROVIDED that in the management of his investments, he shall not serve as an officer, director, manager, general partner, adviser or employee of any business entity.

(ii) Otherwise permissible investment or business activities see prohibited if they:

(a) Tend to reflect adversely on judicial impartiality,

(b) Interfere with the proper performance of judicial duties,

(c) Exploit the judicial position; or

(d) Involve the Judicial Officer in frequent transactions with legal practitioners or with people likely to come before the Judicial Officer’s court.”

So, what this Article of the Revised Code of Conduct presupposes is that a Judicial Officer is not supposed to carry out activities that will involve the Officer infrequent transaction with legal practitioners or with people who are likely to come before their Courts.

Let us take a hypothetical scenario. Some Judicial Officers from all across the Country attend a Workshop organised by “ABC”-,An Institution of the Federal Government. The “ABC” pays their flight tickets, Hotel accommodation,takes care of their feeding, and gives payments for attending the Seminar. How can we guarantee the Independence of such Judicial Officers when cases that concern The “ABC” comes before them or how do we preclude ex parte communications between the Judicial Officers and Officials of the “ABC”,that may compromise the fair Administration of Justice.

Such transactions are quite untidy and leave much to be desired and it is against the extant provisions of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

This is as provided for by Article 13.5. of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria ,which provides thus:

“Acceptance of Gifts

A Judicial Officer and members of his family shall neither ask for nor accept any gift, bequest, favour or loan on account of anything done or omitted to be done by him in the discharge of his duties.
A Judicial Officer is, however, permitted to accept:
(i) Personal gifts or benefits from relatives or personal friends to such extent and on such occasions as are recognized by custom.

(ii) Books supplied by publishers on a complimentary basis.

(iii) A loan from lending institution in its regular course of business on the same terms generally available to people who are not Judicial Officers;

(iv) A scholarship or fellowship awarded on the same terms applied to other applicants.”

So ,from the provisions above ,can it be said that any payments made to a Judicial Officer ,for attending a Seminar organized by an Institution of the Federal Government is not a”gift ,bequest ,favour … on account of any thing done or omitted to be done by him in discharge of his duties “.?

The Judiciary like Caesar’s Wife must be above board .Such Acts or Omissions ,which give right thinking Members of the Public any impression to the contrary must be avoided at all times .

The National Judicial Institute (,NJI) is a Creation of Statute , established specifically for the Training and Retraining of Judicial Officers and Staff of the Judiciary.The Institute should be properly funded to do so .The Specialised Training now illegally organized by these Federal Government Institutions ,should be organized and conducted by the National Judicial Institute (NJI ),which is statutorily mandated to do so .

Any Training carried out by an Institution of Government for Judicial Officers who will end up adjudicating over Matters ,where such Institutions of Government will end up being Parties ,before the same Judicial Officers who have received payments of any kind , from them ,is an illegality ab initio and it even Offends Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999 (As Amended,) ,which states that a Court shall be constituted in a Manner that guarantees its Independence .Such Ex Parte transactions by Judicial Officers with Institutions of Government in the guise of Training does not guarantee the Independence of the Judiciary.This Practice must stop

The NJC should enforce it own Rules and issue a Circular to the effect ,that such Ex Parte Transactions are now prohibited.The NBA at the Local and National Levels , should tackle this issue head on and call the attention of the Relevant Authorities to this Abnormality .

A Judicial Officer by his Oath of Office is obligated to perform his duties ,”with out any affection or ill will “.

This must be put into practice .The Truth is Bitter ,but it should be said as it is .

About the Author :

Douglas Ogbankwa Esq., is a Benin Based Private Legal Practitioner,who is the immediate past Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association,Benin Branch-the Lion Bar .

CAC Dispenses With Physical Presence In Its Lagos And Abuja Offices, Provides Details Of Courier Service Providers To Be Used [FULL LIST]

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August 29, 2020

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CAC Dispenses With Physical Presence In Its Lagos And Abuja Offices, Provides Details Of Courier Service Providers To Be Used [FULL LIST]

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has said that the physical presence of customers will no longer be required in some of their offices in Lagos and Abuja

CAC, in a Notice made available to TheNigeriaLawyer (TNL), mentioned the offices to include the Alausa and Island of Lagos and that of Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.

CAC also identified some Courier Service Providers to be used to include DHL, NIPOST – EMS, FEDEX Redstar among others

Read the details below:

PUBLIC NOTICE

Pursuant to the earlier notice on the implementation of the new service delivery framework dated 6th^, August 2020, the general public and our esteemed customers are reminded that the physical presence of customers will be dispensed within the following offices: Lagos (Alausa), Lagos (Island), Wuse Zone 5 as well as the Head office with effect from the 31st August 2020 except on appointment.

To this end, courier service providers have been identified to receive and return processed applications to customers. The rates payable for their services are as follows:

Abuja Head office/FCT Wuse Zone 5 Office, Abuja

DHL
NIPOST – EMS
FEDEX Redstar
Hypermove
GWX Logistics (Greater Washington Express)

SIN	Courier Company	Weight (Kg)	Within City Center (pick-up)	Satellite Townsonward Forwarding	Within CityCenter(Onward Forwarding)
1.	GWX Logistics		N500.00	91,500.00	–
2.	Hypermove Logistics		N500.00	91,500.00	N1,000.00
3.	Fedex Redstar		N500.00	N 1,500.00	N1,000.00

Lagos (Alausa & Island) offices

FEDEX Redstar Express
Hypermove Logistics
GWX Logistics (Greater Washington Express)

SIN	Courier Company	Weight (Kg)	Lagos Mainland	Lagos Island	Office Pick-up	Onward Forwarding (Ekpeilkorodu/Aja)
1.	GWX Logistics		N900.00	N900.00	N600.00	941,300.00
2.	Hypermove Logistics			N700.00		N1,000.00
3.	Fedex Redstar		91,500.00	N 1,500.00	N 500.00	N1,500.00

SIGNED

MANAGEMENT
27/8/2010

Compulsory Drug Test Of Ladies Before Wedding Is Unlawful.

TIPS

Law & Society Magazine

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August 29, 2020

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Daily Law Tips (Tip 642) by Onyekachi Umah, Esq., LL.M, ACIArb(UK)

Compulsory Drug Test of Ladies Before Wedding is Unlawful.

Compulsory Drug Test for single ladies before wedding (marriage) may soon be a federal government policy in Nigeria. In Nigeria, there is a reported case of over 10.6 million cannabis users, with 1 in every 5 users being dependent and 1 in every 4 drug users being a woman, according to “Drug Use in Nigeria 2018” of the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime. With growing number of drug users, it is not uncommon to find innovative zealous minds with zero tolerance for drugs. This work examines the legality or otherwise of a compulsory drug test for single women as a condition for marriage (Customary and English Marriages).

Nigeria has a federal agency (National Drug Law Enforcement Agency) empowered by law to combat the use and trade of hard drugs. On 21 August 2020, the Chairman of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) was reported in newspapers, stating that Single ladies will undergo drug tests before Marriage. The comment of Col. Mohammed Mustapha Abdalla, Rtd. (NDLEA’s chairman) has erupted many comments and backlash on the internet and offline platforms. While the proposed policy of NDLEA may be informed by statistics at its disposal (if any) and a genuine quest to combat drug abuse, the legality of NDLEA policies and approach must be lawful and constitutional.

Marriage is a highly regulated relationship in Nigeria. Laws and customs have established process and procedure for contracting valid marriage in Nigeria. There are 2 major types of marriages in Nigeria; Customary Marriage and English Marriage. English marriage (Statutory, Court or Registry marriage) and Customary marriage (Traditional, Native or Cultural marriage). English marriage is a marriage between one man and a woman in accordance with the federal government laws on marriage while Customary marriage is a marriage conducted according to the native law and customs which often allows a man to marry more than one wife. For English Marriage, the federal legislation made since 1914 is still the only standard for having a valid English/statutory/court marriage.

Customary marriages are governed by lawful customs, traditions and culture of the concerned prospective couple. Where the said tradition is not contrary to natural justice or laws in Nigeria, such tradition is allowed. So, a culture that conducts marriage with human head or that allows same sex marriage is automatically illegal and unacceptable. It is important to point out that, documentation and writing is unknown to customary law, everything is orally done.

Presently, there is no customary law/practice, or law of a state/federal government that has made drug test a condition for marriage. So, for customary marriage, prospective couples and the custodians of their culture/tradition have no law ordering them to drug test. However, assuming there is any, one wonders how it will effectively apply to customary marriages, since documents and documentation (including proof/results of drug test) are alien and unknown to native laws and customs.

English marriage is regulated by federal law that has established three (3) steps to a valid marriage. None of the steps includes or requires a drug test. Click to read “3 Steps to a Valid English/Court Marriage in Nigeria”. Also, there is no state or federal law or even Regulation that has made drug test a condition for English Marriage in Nigeria. Hence, no person, agency or institution, can by a mere policy add or remove anything to the statutory process of conducting English Marriage. Any amendment to the Marriage Act must be by the National Assembly, alone.

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has warned that policy guidelines of governments are not laws and regulations (subsidiary laws). Also, laws cannot be changed via policies rather through legislative law-making processes. Hence, it will be an unlawful procedure/process to enforce compulsory drug test of prospective couples because of a mere policy guideline of state/federal government or any agency.

Aside the procedure of legally initiating compulsory drug test among prospective couples, another germane issue is the legality of the test itself. This issue is important not minding that such tests may reveal more drug offenders and increase government revenue through the government laboratories (unless such tests are completely free).

Fundamental human rights are constitutional rights, engraved and casted in the Constitution of Nigeria. The Constitution of Nigeria, is the greatest of all laws in existence and yet to be in existence in Nigeria. So, any law, regulations, policy, order, International conventions, treaty, process, procedure, initiative or innovation that violates or attempts to violate the constitution (including the human rights contained in the constitution) is null and void, illegal and dead on arrival.

Among the fundamental human rights is the Right to Freedom from Discrimination. No citizen of Nigeria is to be discriminated against because of his/her community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion. A policy/regulation/law designed to force women or any particular sex to conduct compulsory drug test is discriminatory, unconstitutional, illegal, nullified and dead on arrival. It is just a mere rant and waste of taxpayers’ fund.

The cancelled policy of Nigerian Immigration Services (NIS) that required married women to present consent of their husbands before being issued passports is instructive. The cancelled discriminatory policy was violating the human rights of women (especially married women) simply because of their sex as women. The court frowned at it and declared it unlawful. Obviously, any discriminatory policy, regulation or even law from or sponsored by NDLEA or any agency will also be declared unlawful.

Among human rights in Nigeria, is the right to private and family life. This right protects privacy of citizens, their homes, correspondence and communication. This obviously will include medical results and drug test of citizens. It will be unconstitutional, illegal and a violation of human right for any law, policy, regulation, agency or institution to order compulsory drug test or have unauthorized communication/access to test results. Marriage registry and religious institutions have no right to request, demand, obtain or access drug test results of prospective couples. This is not known to any law and is not among the notices and steps for contracting a valid English Marriage under the law.

Truly, there is need to combat growing rate of drug abuse in our society but this must be done within the provisions of the law. No sex or tribe should be discriminated or made to suffer more than others. Government agencies and departments must learn to adopt policies and make regulations that are not contrary to rule of law in Nigeria. Media and public communications of government agencies and departments should be made after critical assessments with relevant stakeholders to avoid misinformation and resultant public outcry and loss of support.

My authorities are:

1. Sections 37, 42, 45 and 46 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.
2. Section 1, 3 and 4 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, 1989
3. The Supreme Court judgment on “Meaning of Regulation” in the case of AG LAGOS STATE v. EKO HOTELS LTD & ANOR (2006) LPELR-3161(SC)
4. The Court of Appeal judgment on “Meaning of Executive Order/Regulation” in the case of ELEPHANT GROUP PLC v. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER & ANOR (2018) LPELR-45528(CA)
5. The Supreme Court judgment on “Policy Documents/Guidelines” in the case of COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF CUSTOMS & ORS v. COMPTROLLER ABDULLAHI B. GUSAU (2017) LPELR-42081(SC).
6. The Supreme Court judgment on “Policy Documents/Guidelines” in the case of UNION BANK OF NIGERIA PLC & ANOR. v. IFEOLUWA NIG. ENTERPRISES LTD (2007) 7 NWLR (Pt.1032) 71 at 84.
7. The Court of Appeal’s judgment (that customary law, transactions and affairs do not require documents, documentation and writings) in the case of KWARI v. RAGO (2000) LPELR-11976(CA)
8. The judgment of the Federal High Court ( nullifying the policy of requesting for consent of a husband before passport is issued to his wife) in the case of Dr Priye Iyalla-Amadi v. Comptroller- General, Nigerian Immigration Services and Another. Suit No FHC/PH/CS/198/2008 (Unreported) (Judgement delivered by Justice G. K. Olotu on June 15, 2009)
9. Isaac Adewole & Yemi Kale, “Drug Use in Nigeria 2018” (UNODC, 2018) accessed 23 August 2020.
10. Goodness Nwogwugwu, “Single ladies to undergo drug tests before Marriages-NDLEA” (The Daily Times, 22 August 2020) accessed 24 August 2020
11. Linda Ikeji, “NDLEA considers compulsory drug testing for ladies before marriage” (Linda Ikeji’s Blog, 24 August 2020) accessed 24 August 2020.

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ICPC Shortlists 12 Students For Anniversary Essay Competition

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August 29, 2020

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ICPC Shortlists 12 Students For Anniversary Essay Competition

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has shortlisted 12 students for the finals of its 20th anniversary National Essay Competition.

Up for grabs is a total sum of N4.9 million in prize money, for both the students and their schools, in addition to laptops for the students only.

Participating in the competition are students from both public and private secondary schools, with ICPC/EFCC Anti-Corruption or Integrity Clubs.

The competition, which is in senior and junior school categories, received 1,114 entries from 24 students in the first round, which closed on July 16.

According to the ICPC, the first, second and third prizes in the senior category are N1.4 million, N800,000 and N500,000, respectively, for both the students and their schools.

In addition, each of the students would get a personal laptop.

For the junior category, the winners and their schools would cart away N1 million, N750,000 and N500,000, for the first, second and third prizes respectively and a personal laptop for each student.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the senior students wrote on the topic, ”The Role of the Youth in the Fight Against Corruption”, in the first round.

The junior school competitors on their part, wrote on: ‘How to End the Menace of Examination Malpractices’.

Addressing the 12 finalists via webinar on Thursday, the Chairman of ICPC, Bolaji Owasanoye, congratulated them on their emergence.

Mr Owasanoye said the exercise was aimed at driving the fight against corruption into the consciousness of young people across the country.

The ICPC boss also used the opportunity to counsel them on the values of integrity, diligence, sacrifice and self control, among others, which he said, were fundamental to success.

”The competition is about values and integrity and the role that ICPC as a commission plays in this regard.
”The values of integrity define our conduct and our interaction with others.

”I am hoping that young people across the country who have taken time to participate in our competition will become a reference point in the society.

”Whether you win or not is not the issue, what counts is that you have reflected on the things you have written about which the country needs to do to move forward,” he said.

Mr Owasanoye said the 12 finalists would write on another topic in order to determine the final winners. (NAN)

NERC Confirms September 1 Take-off Date for New Tariffs

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August 29, 2020

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NERC Confirms September 1 Take-off Date for New Tariffs

*Discos get 10-day deadline for meter installation

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) yesterday confirmed a THISDAY exclusive report on the September 1 take-off date for the new electricity tariffs regime approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a note titled: “Answers to Frequently Asked Questions,” the regulatory agency clearly stated that the Service-Based Tariff (SBT) regime will now commence from the beginning of next month, adding however that the “poor” would not be affected by the expected increase.

But the review however runs contrary to the National Assembly’s position that there should be no further action on the planned increase until the first quarter of next year.

The lawmakers had argued that the timing was wrong, given that Nigerians are already suffering under the yoke of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, NERC insisted that there will never be a good time for the review, stating that it will ensure that Discos improve on the quality of service as well as a 10-day deadline to install meters for power consumers who pay upfront.

“There will never be a good time to review the tariff. The interest here is to ensure that Nigerians are migrated to a threshold where there will be continuous improvement in the quality of service delivery.

“The proposed serviced-based tariff review which comes into effect by 1st September 2020 will only affect customers that live in areas where their Discos promise to provide them electricity for at least 12 hours.

“The SBT will operate a progressive regime-the customers that receive the highest quality of service (12-24 hours per day) will pay the highest tariff. Customers that receive under 12 hours of service per day will continue paying their current tariff, that is, no increase on September 1,” the regulator noted.

NERC insisted that the SBT is designed to protect the poor, noting that only the wealthy customers in the areas that receive over 12 hours service will experience tariffs increase.

It noted that the service-based tariff will relieve the government of paying electricity subsidy on the rich and allow it to divert scarce resources to more pressing sectors, including education and healthcare.

“The tariff review is only expected to affect less than the richest 25 per cent of the population living in the most prosperous areas of the country. The richest 10 per cent of the population will cover as much as 50 per cent of tariff increase” it added.

NERC reiterated that when the deal with Siemens becomes operational, it will improve the power supply in the country, noting that the World Bank, ministry of finance , budget and national planning as well as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) were working towards an extensive mass metering programme to close the gap by providing as many as 6 million meters .

It said that the service reflective regime is built around the incremental improvement in the quality of supply, stating that depending on the historical supply pattern, customers will observe increased hours of supply as the Discos migrate them to higher service bands . “Ultimately, customers will pay for service commensurate to the number of hours they receive,” NERC maintained.

NERC said that with the improved tariff, incidences of customers contributing to buying poles, transformers and wires will reduce because Discos will embrace their responsibilities in full and respond swiftly to complaints on damaged equipment.

“NERC has developed and communicated clear punitive mechanisms that will be used against Discos if they do not meet their obligations.

“In line with the Meter Asset Provider (MAP), 2018, regulation, there are two options for payment and obtaining meters, instalment payment which attracts a monthly meter service charge and upfront or one-off.

“Customers who elect to be metered under the upfront payment are being metered within a maximum of 10 days. In other cases customers will be advised on when meters will be installed on their premises” the commission said.

NERC said that the days of arbitrary billing will be a thing of the past as customers without meters will be billed as comparable to metered customers in the same area.

“NERC is responsible for meting out punishment to Discos if they do not meet the obligations to customers . The relevant punishment will be communicated through each Disco,” it noted.

Motive Behind CAMA 2020 Doesn’t Look Good — Catholic Arch Bishop of Abuja, Kaigama

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August 29, 2020

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Motive Behind CAMA 2020 Doesn’t Look Good — Catholic Arch Bishop of Abuja, Kaigama

The Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Diocese, Ignatius Kaigama yesterday added his voice to that of prominent Christians who have condemned the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020.

He said the federal government’s motive behind CAMA is bad, adding that it should be reviewed to avoid a crisis in the country.

Kaigama spoke in Abuja during his Pallium investiture ceremony by the Antonio Filipazzi Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, Most Rev. Antonio Filipazzi.

On August 7, 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari assented to CAMA 2020, which repeals and replaces the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

The controversial Section 839 (1) and (2) provides that religious bodies and non-governmental organisations will be strictly regulated by the Registrar-General of Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and a supervising minister.

The law also wields power to suspend the trustees of an association or a religious body and appoint an interim manager or managers to coordinate its affairs where it reasonably believes that there had been any misconduct or mismanagement, or where the affairs of the association are being run fraudulently or where it is necessary or desirable for the purpose of public interest.

Kaigama said: “Our experts are dealing with the issue of CAMA. It is not something we can just talk about anyhow. This needs careful analysis and we are doing that.

“But on the surface. It doesn’t look as if there is a good intension to it. It doesn’t look that the motive is right. It doesn’t look like enough study was done about the implications of how this law is going to be.

“And now that they know, I hope prudence and wise judgment will lead our authorities to humbly start all over and see how this law does no generate unprecedented problems for our country, and destroy the little peace we have.”

On the killings in some parts of the country, Kaigama said the federal and state governments, including stakeholders must change their approaches in handling security issues across the country.

He also affirmed that there is no political will to tackle the crisis.

“Why should the killings go on for year after year? Why should innocent people sleep in dark places in the villages be killed? And every time we say we are on top of the situation.

“When can we really deal with the situation not just being on top? Southern Kaduna represents many other areas in Nigeria. The minority groups who are suffering all kinds of injustice and unfair treatment revolt when they are pushed to the wall.

“So the government must address fundamental, historical, and justice issues. They know what the problem is but, they lack the political will to deal with these unending killings and this is what is causing this violence. The government must do something.

“Our security agencies must be objective and committed to the common good of all Nigerians”.

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