W’Bank Raises GDP Growth Forecast for Nigeria to 1.8% Obinna Chima in Lagos and country earlier this year. Nigeria in the earlier report to figures the National Bureau reforms and flexible exchange exchange rate management.” Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The Washington-based released in January. of Statistics (NBS) released last rate management. The report stated that institution, in its June 2021 Nigeria recorded a GDP month. It said: “Growth in Nigeria output in Sub-Saharan Africa The World Bank has increased Global Economic Prospect growth rate of 0.51 per cent But the World Bank hinged is expected to resume at 1.8 shrank at an estimated 2.4 Nigeria’s Gross Domestic released yesterday, also forecast (year-on-year) in the first its positive prediction for per cent in 2021 and edge per cent in 2020 as a result Product (GDP) growth the GDP growth to hit 2.1 quarter of 2021, (Q1 2021) Nigeria on the expectation up to 2.1 per cent next year, of the COVID-19 pandemic, a projection for 2021 to 1.8 per per cent for the country in compared with the 0.11 per that crude oil prices would assuming higher oil prices, milder-than-expected recession. cent, higher than the 1.1 per 2022, compared with the 1.8 cent recorded in the fourth remain high as well as the structural oil sector reforms, cent it had estimated for the per cent it had predicted for quarter (Q4) 2020, according government effecting structural and market-based flexible Continued on page 48 Kyari Calls for Transparency in IOCs’ Operations... Page 8 Wednesday 9 June, 2021 Vol 26. No 9557. Price: N250 www.thisdaylive.com T RU N TH & REASO TODAY'S WEATHER ABUJA MAIDUGURI ENUGU KANO LAGOS PORT HARCOURT 25°C-33°C 31°C-31°C 25°C-28°C 27°C-33°C 24C-27°C 20°C-30°C Suspension to Remain Indefinitely Until Twitter Shows Remorse, Says FG NBC to license OTT House probes legality of stoppage, summons information minister Despite ordering violators' prosecution, Malami accesses Twitter, deactivates account Trump lauds Nigeria over Twitter's suspension Ezeobi Chiemelie in Lagos, company shows remorse, a Onyebuchi Ezigbo, Adedayo top federal government official Akinwale and Udora Orizu in told THISDAY yesterday. Abuja According to him, since the suspension of Twitter's The suspension of the operations in Nigeria last operation of American Friday, the company has microblogging company, not reached out to the federal Twitter, in Nigeria by the government for dialogue. federal government is to remain indefinitely until the Continued on page 48 Govs’ Insistence Threatens Resolution of Judicial, Parliamentary Workers’ Strike FG directs workers to resume work or face sanctions Chuks Okocha and its terms may prolong the Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja ongoing strike by the workers, THISDAY has learnt. The insistence of state This is coming as the governors to rely on the 45- federal government has day window provided in their directed members of the GATHERING OF OIL CHIEFTAINS... agreement with the judicial striking Judiciary Staff L-R: Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, Mr. Osagie Ogunbor; Minister of State for Petroleum and parliamentary workers Resources, Mr. Timipre Sylva, and Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Malam Mele Kyari, at the for the implementation of Continued on page 49 Nigeria International Petroleum Summit, in Abuja…yesterday Obasanjo, Abdulsalami, Sultan, Others Meet Tomorrow over State of the Nation... Page 5 2 WEDNESDAY JUNE 9, 2021 • THISDAY WEDNESDAY JUNE 9, 2021 • THISDAY 3 4 WEDNESDAY JUNE 9, 2021 • THISDAY WEDNESDAY, ΁˜ͺ͸ͺ͹˾THISDAY 5 Group News Editor Ejiofor Alike NEWS Email [email protected], 08066066268 Obasanjo, Abdulsalami, Sultan, Others Meet Tomorrow over State of the Nation Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja Sa’ad Abubakar and his crisis plaguing the country. of how to handle the crisis That is why we are here. can handle. We have to cry eminence John Cardinal “We seem to have been in our land. But nothing is “We have some challenges. out to God to help us,” he Former President Olusegun Onaiyekan, national overwhelmed and unsure too difficult for God to do. These are beyond what we had said. Obasanjo, former Head of peace committee chaired State, Gen. Abdulsalami by General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd); Sultan Abubakar and Socio-cultural of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Consultative Committee Abubakar, and former convened by me and all these Catholic Archbishop of bodies called Committee Abuja, John Cardinal of Goodness of Nigeria Onaiyekan, and others will (CJN) to an exploratory meet tomorrow in Abuja on meeting on pressing the state of the nation. issues of national unity, The meeting, which will security, peace, integration, be held under the auspices economic revitalisation and of Interfaith Initiatives for development, women and Peace, was convened to youth welfare and general discuss “pressing issues” progress,” the letter said. in the country. Obasanjo had recently The group is jointly expressed worry over the led by Obasanjo, Sultan, state of the nation and Abdulsalami, and blamed bad leadership for Onaiyekan. the nation’s woes. According to a letter The former president, addressed to President while receiving a book titled, of the Nigeria Labour ‘The Man, The General and Congress (NLC), Ayuba The President,’ written by Wabba, sighted by TheCable, Femmy Carrena, had said issues such as national unity, in Abeokuta, the Ogun State security, peace, integration, capital, that even though the economic revitalisation country was destined to be and development will be a land flowing with milk discussed at the meeting. and honey, bad leadership “I am pleased to invite had made it unachievable you on behalf of Interfaith The former president FOR SAFER NATION... Initiatives for Peace jointly had also on Sunday asked led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Nigerians to beseech God President Muhammadu Buhari (left) and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Mongonu, (rtd), at a his eminence Mohammad for a solution to the security meeting of the Security Council, in Abuja… yesterday godwin omoigui FG: Global Terrorism, Armed Struggle in Sahel, Threats to Nigeria Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja Police Affairs and Related agencies in Nigeria would postulated in the 1948 treaty of experts. Proffering solutions to Agencies" in Abuja that resolve the challenge of Westphalia, which emphasised "This review showed, among the security situation in the The federal government the situation threatened the insecurity in Nigeria. sovereignty, territorialism and others, that ineffective joint country, he said: yesterday attributed the internal security of the nation. The minister said the spread the ability of government to approaches to curb crime "Considering the present unending violence in Nigeria The summit was jointly of global terrorism and arms protect the state of its citizens", and terrorism as well as security challenges in Nigeria to rising global terrorism and organised by the Federal struggle in the Sahel region he stated. inter-agency rivalry have and the overstretching of armed struggle in the Sahel Republic of Germany, the had spilled into the country, In his presentation, Country been caused by overlapping security agencies in Nigeria, region, which constituted a Ministry of Police Affairs and thereby threatening the peace Representative of KAS, Dr. or conflicting mandates. it becomes clear that neither threat to Nigeria. Konrad Adenauer Stiftung of the nation. Vladimir Kreck, said the "To solve this problem, the armed forces nor the Minister of Police Affairs, (KAS). "This changing crime pattern German Foundation, in we have commenced police or any other security Alhaji Mohammed Dingiyadi, The minister spoke just as arising from upscale in global association with the German strategic engagement with agency alone will be able said at a summit with the the Resident Representative terrorism, increasing arms ruling party, the Christian the executive and National to bring security and peace theme: "Strengthening Inter- of German Foundation, struggle in the Sahel region Democratic Union, recently Assembly to discuss reforms to the country. Only joint, agency Collaboration and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, stimulate threats to national conducted a review of the that can create a more effective collaborative approaches Organisational Effectiveness Dr. Vladimir Kreck, said security and compromise legal provisions of the various security apparatus in Nigeria", will bring the prospects of for the Federal Ministry of only collaboration of security the ideal nation-state as security agencies with Nigerian he added. success." Senate Panel Indicts 59 MDAs Queried in Auditor General’s Report Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Senate, after the 59 MDAs had their queries Urhoghide. MDAs sent written responses the Economic and Financial conclusion of the first part sustained with recommendations In considering the report, to the committee but did not Crimes Commission (EFCC) The Senate Public Accounts of the 2015 Office of Auditor for consideration and approval the committee invited all the appear before the hearing while or the Independent Corrupt Committee (SPAC) has indicted General Report, slated the report of the Senate. MDAs queried, out of which seven MDAs made submissions Practices Commission (ICPC) 59 out of 114 Ministries, for consideration yesterday In the summary of the report 84 made submissions and but did not appear before the or both were in possession Department and Agencies in the Order Paper, but later cited by THISDAY, 46 agencies appeared before the committee committee. of the original copies of their (MDAs) queried by the Office deferred the consideration till were cleared by the Senate to defend the queries raised The report stated that documents; and therefore, they of Auditor General of the further notice. Public Accounts Committee, against them. two of the MDAs reported could not respond or appear Federation in its 2015 report. According to the report, chaired by Senator Mathew The report revealed that 21 to the committee that either before the committee.