By Sumaila Ogbaje

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), says it will continue to support Nigeria in the strengthening of peace and security through inclusive, innovative and sustainable people oriented solutions.

The UNDP Resident Representative, Mr Lealem Dinku, said this on Monday in Abuja, at the project launch of Strengthening National and Regional Capacities for Peace Support Operations (PSOs) for Centre for Strategic Research and Studies (CSRS) and National Defence College (NDC).

The project was funded by the Government of Japan through the UNDP.

Dinku said that UNDP would also partner with the Federal Government to address development challenges including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

The UNDP representative lauded the project, stressing that the strategic partnership between UNDP and Government of Japan and CSRS/NDC through the project would be significant in achieving the SDG 16.

He said that the partnership would also help in achieving the entire spectrum of peace operations from conflict prevention to conflict management and postconflict peace building and recovery.

With the launch of this project, the Government of Japan and UNDP will be implementing concurrently, three projects in Nigeria- one in the north east, one in Lagos and Kaduna as part of Japan regional support and one at national levelNDC Abuja.

UNDP is honoured to be part of this initiative and will continue to strategically support the strengthening of CSRS/NDCs capacity and role in peace, security and disaster management.

Building a better post COVID -19 pandemic recovery is an opportunity to re-imagine development priorities in Nigeria.

UNDP is committed to partner with the Government of Nigeria to address development challenges including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

And, strengthening of peace and security through inclusive, innovative and sustainable solutions that are people oriented in the country, he said.

The Minister of State, Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, represented by Mrs Elizabeth Egharevba, Director, International Cooperation, said that the project documents had already been endorsed by the ministry.

According to him, the project is expected to among other things, enhance the capacities for PSOs in West Africa through trainings to be conducted by the CSRS/NDC Abuja.

This laudable initiative could not have come at any other time than now, when Nigeria and other West African countries are facing different security challenges; hence the need to build capacities and resilience of critical actors towards eradicating these challenges.

Nigeria will continue to partner with UNDP and other critical stakeholders to ensure implementation of projects and programmes that will impact positively on the socio-economic development of the country, he said.

He commended the Government of Japan, UNDP, NDC and other stakeholders, for the initiative and their contributions toward the successful realisation of the project.

He also called on the UNDP to ensure that effective monitoring and evaluation mechanism was put in place to ensure the sustainability of the project and also to carry along the ministry in the execution of the project.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, represented by the Director, Peacekeeping Operations, Defence Headquarters, Maj.-Gen. Henry Ayamasaowei, expressed the determination of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to maintain its rightful place in the Peace Support Operations (PSOs) across the world.

Olonisakin, who expressed delight at the project funded by the Government of Japan through UNDP, noted that such collaboration would help Nigeria scale up its operations.

The armed forces of Nigeria is willing and ever ready to continue to contribute its quotas to peace support operations in the sub region, in the continent and even globally, as part of our contribution to entrenching global peace and security.

It is in that spirit that we want to reinstate our commitment to providing troops and resources to different missions across the nation and across the world.

As it were, there was a time that Nigeria was one of the largest contributors to peacekeeping operations around the world, but in the recent past that contribution has dwindled drastically for obvious reasons.

This kind of collaboration will help Nigeria to scale up its operation, he said.
He urged the college not to allow the collaboration to break anymore.

The Commandant of NDC, Rear Admiral Mackson Kadiri, said that the project to be executed through the CSRS and the college was in collaboration with the Government of Japan and UNDP.

He said the programme was aimed at building the capacity of prospective peacekeepers for ECOWAS, AU and UN Multidimensional Peace Support Operation Missions (PSO).

Kadiri said that the project would herald the third phase of collaboration with the Government of Japan.

He said that courses to be conducted under the project included, Protection of Civilian (PoC) in Armed Conflict, Gender in PSO and Logistic Support in PSO.

The training is coming at an opportunity time due to the dynamic and changing nature of contemporary conflicts in Africa and globally which continues to pose critical challenge to the management of PSO.

This is the context within which the CSRS, NDC planned to conduct these courses, he said.

Source: NAN News

Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, has expressed the determination of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to maintain its rightful place in the Peace Support Operations (PSOs) across the world.

Olonisakin said this on Monday in Abuja at the inauguration of the Strengthening National and Regional Capacities for PSOs, Centre for Strategic research and Studies (CSRS) and National Defence College (NDC).

He was represented by Maj.-Gen. Henry Ayamasaowei, Director, Peacekeeping Operations, Defence Headquarters.

Olonisakin expressed delight at the project funded by the Government of Japan through the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP), noting that such collaboration would help Nigeria scale up its operations.

The Armed Forces of Nigeria is willing and ever ready to continue to contribute its quotas to peace support operations in the sub region, in the continent and even globally, as part of our contribution to entrenching global peace and security.

It is in that spirit that we want to reinstate our commitment to providing troops and resources to different missions across the nation and across the world.

As it were, there was a time that Nigeria was one of the largest contributors to peacekeeping operations around the world, but in the recent past that contribution has dwindled drastically for obvious reasons.

This kind of collaboration will help Nigeria to scale up its operation, he said.

The Defence Chief urged National Defence College not to allow the collaboration to break anymore.

He said that Nigeria looked forward to having a sustained and robust partnership with government of Japan because they have been so good to the country by coming to collaborate with the this premier military training institution of our armed forces
Olonisakin also commended the government of Japan for making the resources available to support peace support training in the institute which he said had helped in enhancing the capacity building and increase the tempo of the nations support operations

He also lauded the UNDP for being very strong partner in the enterprise.
He expressed the desires that the project would go stronger for the betterment of the armed forces of Nigeria and for entire world in general.

Earlier, the Commandant of the National Defence College, Rear Adm. Mackson Kadiri, said that the project to be executed through the CSRS and the college was in collaboration with the Government of Japan and UNDP.

He said the programme was aimed at building the capacity of prospective peacekeepers for ECOWAS, AU and UN Multidimensional Peace Support Operation Missions (PSO).

Kadiri said that the project would herald the third phase of collaboration with the Government of Japan.

He said that courses to be conducted under the project include Protection of Civilian (PoC) in Armed Conflict, Gender in PSO and Logistic Support in PSO.

He said that the courses were carefully selected based on ECOWAS Training Needs Assessment (TNA) 2019 to 2022, to make ECOWAS Standby Forces more efficient to engage in multi-dimensional PSOs missions.

The training is coming at an opportunity time due to the dynamic and changing nature of contemporary conflicts in Africa and globally which continues to pose a critical challenge to the management of PSO.

This is the context within which the CSRS, NDC planned to conduct these courses.

He noted that in spite of the drop in UN ranking due to internal security challenges, Nigeria still maintained a strategic position in UN, AU, and ECOWAS PSO missions.

It is in this vein that the college has been actively participating in various international fora on peace operations.

Our participation in these fora is aimed at representing Nigerias continued interest in PSO, participating in the global discourse shaping PSO and incorporating the evolving in PSO in its training courses, he said.

Source: NAN News

NSE

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) opened trading for the week on Monday with a loss of N35 billion, amid weak sentiments.

Market capitalwithion, which opened at N13.145 trillion inched lower by N35 billion or 0.27 per cent, to close at N13.110 trillion.

Also, the All-Share Index (ASI) lost 67.17 points or 0.27 per cent to close at 25,132.67 from 25,199.84 achieved on Friday.

The downturn was impacted by losses recorded in medium and large capitalised stocks, amongst which are; Dangote Cement, Vitafoam Nigeria, UACN, International Breweries and United Capital.

Analysts at United Capital Plc predicted that the market would witness mixed performance this week due to anticipated profit taking by short-term players.

Also, analysts at Afrinvest Limited said, Given the sell-offs that dominated todays trading session, we anticipate bargain hunting in subsequent trading days.

Livestock Feeds led the losers chart in percentage terms, dropping by 8.33 per cent, to close at 55k per share.

Vitafoam came second with a loss of 5.22 per cent to close at N5.45, while International Breweries dipped 3.51 per cent to close at N2.75 per share.

Honeywell Flour Mill lost 3.16 per cent to close at 92k, while Cutix dropped 2.78 per cent to close at N1.75 per share.

On the other hand, Unilever recorded the highest price appreciation to lead the gainers table in percentage terms, gaining 10 per cent to close at N13.75 per share.

Northern Nigeria Flour Mills trailed with 9.82 per cent to close at N4.25, while Julius Berger grew by 9.63 per cent to close at N16.50 per share.

AXA Mansard Insurance improved by 9.43 per cent to close at N1.74, while Ardova appreciated by 9.41 per cent to close at N13.95 per share.

In the same vein, the total volume of shares traded dipped 66.59 per cent with an exchange of 161.23 million shares worth N1.85 billion achieved in 3,597 deals.

This was in contrast with 482.52 million shares valued at N4.52 billion transacted in 3,897 deals on Friday.

Transactions in the shares of Guaranty Trust Bank topped the activity chart with 19.03 million shares worth N472.19 billion.

Zenith Bank followed with 18.60 million shares valued at N311.49 million, while Sterling Bank traded 14.33 million shares worth N16.75 million.

FBN Holdings sold 12.71 million shares valued at N63.82 million, while International Breweries accounted for 11.24 million shares worth N31.11 million.

Source: NAN News

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The FCT Mobile Court has convicted 24 persons and sealed off three beer parlours for violating COVID-19 regulations 2020.

The regulations were made by Presidential Order, pursuant to Section 4 of the Quarantine Act, Cap. 02, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Idayat Akanni, the trial Magistrate, awarded N2,000 fine each to the 24 defaulters that pleaded guilty with an option of a one-day community service in any of the government facilities.

Other three alleged violators who pleaded not guilty are to appear before Magistrate court Wuse zone II on Friday, Aug. 21.

The prosecutor, Udeme Umanah, who read the charges before the COVID-19 regulation defaulters arrested at Pana village in Utako district, said the offences bordered on violation of the dusk-to-dawn curfew.

Umanah also said that the offences were violation of ban on social gatherings and the violation of compulsory wearing of face masks when appearing in public.

The court tried them and convicted them, except for three who denied liability.

Those that pleaded guilty are to pay a fine of 2,000 or go for one-day community service, also three beer parlours have been sealed off for four days, he said.

Commenting on the judgment, the Police Command Spokesperson for FCT, Anjuguri Manza, said the police stance on COVID-19 regulations was still in place.

We want to remind FCT residents that the COVID-19 regulations are very much in place.

People should know that the curfew that starts from 10p.m. to 4.a.m daily is also in place, he said.

Manza advised those who operated beer parlours and restaurants to adhere to the guidelines.

Also fielding questions from newsmen, the chairman FCT Ministerial Task Team on COVID-19, Ikharo Attah, advised FCT residents to comply with the safety guidelines.

Most of the people are thinking that the issue of COVID-19 is over, but its not; the fight against the pandemic is still on, so we must strictly adhere to the rules.

We in the FCT are law abiding because the guidelines issued by the Presidential Task Force (PTF), on COVID-19 have not been lifted; people must understand that the protocols are in place.

Restaurants, beer parlours and drinking joints are not allowed to operate.

It is because of these violations that the defaulters in Pana village have been arrested, he said.

He listed the places sealed off for four days as Chioma restaurant, Madam Okosu and Mrs Hashimu restaurants.

Source: NAN News

UN-Secretary-General-Antnio-Guterres

UN Secretary General Antnio Guterres has strongly condemned Sundays deadly attack by al-Shabab militants on a hotel in Somalia.

No fewer than 16 people were reportedly killed and several others injured after armed militants laid siege to the beach side Elite Hotel in Mogadishu, the Somalian capital.

UN spokesperson Mr Stphane Dujarric conveyed the Secretary Generals reaction during his daily news briefing in New York on Monday.

He said: The Secretary General calls on all the perpetrators of this heinous act to be held accountable.

The attack demonstrates that the fighting against al-Shabab and all forms of violent extremism in Somalia must continue.

The Secretary General reiterates the support and solidarity of the United Nations with the government and people of Somalia in their pursuit of peace, stability and prosperity.

While commiserating with the families of those killed, the UN Chief wished the injured speedy recovery.

Dujarric also quoted the Secretary-Generals Special Representative to Somalia, Mr James Swan, as saying that the attack merited the strongest condemnation.

Swan said that the savagery had no place in the country that was being built by Somalis.

Source: NAN News