Pope Urges IMF, W’Bank to Cut Poor Nations’ Debts Global agreement saved oil market, says OPEC Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja economic impact of the pope said the pandemic had Exporting Countries (OPEC) to stabilise it. international market." COVID-19 pandemic and give forced the world to come has told the International The Pope called for a new In the letter, the pope Pope Francis yesterday urged their governments a greater to terms with interrelated Monetary and Financial "global plan" that "necessarily noted that a spirit of global the International Monetary say in global-decision-making. socio-economic, ecological, Committee (IMFC) via Video- means giving poorer and less solidarity demands at the least Fund (IMF) and the World In a letter to the participants and political crises. conference that the global oil developed nations an effective a significant reduction in the Bank to cut the debt burden of the IMF and World Bank's This is coming as the market was on the verge of share in decision-making of poor countries hit by the annual spring meeting, the Organisation of the Petroleum collapse before its intervention and facilitating access to the Continued on page 10 Dangote, Flour Mills, BUA at War over New Sugar Refinery... Page 8 Friday 9 April, 2021 Vol 26. No 9497. Price: N250 www.thisdaylive.com T RU N TH & REASO Aisha is Presidency’s Voice of Conscience, Says Tinubu Osinbajo: She is an unusual first lady Raises N150m at biography presentation Deji Elumoye in Abuja described the First Lady, Mrs. in the presidency. Both spoke at the public presentation of the and Women Affairs, Dr. Hajo Aisha Buhari, as a woman of This is just as Vice President presentation of Aisha's book, "Aisha Buhari: Being Sani, Ekiti State Governor, Dr. National Leader of the All deep convictions and feelings Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) also biography during which over Different," authored by the Kayode Fayemi, described her Progressives Congress (APC), for what she believes in, saying described the president's N150 million was realised. Senior Special Assistant to the Senator Bola Tinubu, has she is the voice of conscience wife as an unusual first lady. Also speaking at the President on Administration Continued on page 12 FG Fingers Insecurity as Trigger for Rising Secessionist Agitations ACF expresses disappointment over unending strife Olawale Ajimotokan and in the country has triggered Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has war to the doorsteps of the (KASU), Kaduna, the Minister by incidences of farmers/ John Shiklam in Kaduna a rising call for secession as declared that a situation in criminals. of Information and Culture, herders clashes, Boko well as politicisation of ethnic which security agencies only Speaking yesterday during Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Haram insurgency, banditry, The federal government and religious differences. reacted to cases of banditry a Town Hall Meeting on expressed concern about ethno-religious clashes and yesterday stated that the This is coming as the and abductions is unacceptable National Security, held at the general state of insecurity general state of insecurity Kaduna State Governor, and urged them to take the the Kaduna State University in the country occasioned Continued on page 10 THE FLAGSHIP STORY... L-R: Head of Michael Ibru Dynasty, Chief Oskar Ibru; Publisher, The Guardian, Mrs. Maiden Alex-Ibru; Chairman, THISADY Newspaper/ARISE Media Group, Prince Nduka Obaigbena; Secretary to Delta State Government, Mr. Chiedu Ebie; Commissioner for Information, Delta State, Mr. Charles Aniagwu; and Executive Director, The Guardian, Mr. Toke Ibru, at the launch of the book, “The making of the Nigerian Flagship: The story of the Guardian,” and celebration of the life of the founding publisher of the newspaper, Dr. Alex Ibru, in Lagos…yesterday 2 FRIDAY APRIL 9, 2021 •THISDAY FRIDAY APRIL 9, 2021 • THISDAY 3 4 FRIDAY APRIL 9, 2021 •THISDAY FRIDAY, ΁˜ͺ͸ͺ͹˾THISDAY 5 Group News Editor Ejiofor Alike NEWS Email [email protected], 08066066268 I’m Having Brief Rest in London, Buhari Tells Jordan’s King Deji Elumoye in Abuja Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan in a statement issued yesterday heard reports of the problem Kingdom of Jordan. now been resolved and I pray which he disclosed that he was his media assistant, Malam but felt reassured when he “Your exemplary leadership that the Hashemite Kingdom President Muhammadu Buhari having a short rest in London, Garba Shehu, sent the letter learnt that everything had since ascending the throne has continues to not only remain has written a letter of good the United Kingdom. of solidarity to King Al-Hussein, been resolved amicably. attracted worldwide admiration. peaceful but also a major wishes to King Abdullahi II The President, according to King of the Hashemite The letter read in part: “While Relations between Nigeria and beacon of hope for the region Kingdom of Jordan, following here in London taking a short Jordan have been excellent and under Your Majesty's wise the resolution of a recent rift rest, I was profoundly disturbed I thank you for the part you guidance.” in the royal family. to read from international have played in this relationship. President Buhari extended Bandits Release Five More In the letter, Buhari said he news agencies of attempts ‘‘Your Majesty, I am much to the King the assurances of Abducted Students of felt much disturbed when he to destabilise the Hashemite heartened that matters have his highest personal regards. Kaduna Forestry School John Shiklam in Kaduna ourselves. "As soon as they come in, Another five of the abducted they are going to be taken to students of the Federal College the hospital for examination, of Forestry Mechanization, but we are waiting to receive Kaduna are said to have been them first." released. Mohammed Jalige, spokesman The first five were released of the Kaduna State Police on Monday, bringing the total Command could, however, number of those released by not confirm the release of the the bandits to 10 while 29 are students. still in captivity. But he said he missed a call On March 11, bandits invaded from the Divisional Police Officer the school located along airport (DPO) in charge of Kidenda, road Kaduna and abducted LGA, noting that the DPO 39 students who have been probably must have called to in captivity. brief him on the development. One of the parents confirmed Jalige promised to get back the release of the five students as soon as he gets details on yesterday in Kaduna, saying the development. the students were picked up by He was yet to get back at the police somewhere in Giwa the time of filing this report. Local Government Area of the The parents of the abducted state and were on their way students had at a press to the city. conference on Monday vowed to He said: "I can confirm that negotiate with the bandits for the five more of our children have release of their children, accusing been released. Presently, we are the Kaduna State government waiting for them to come into of allegedly abandoning them. Kaduna. I can confirm to you Governor Nasir el-Rufai BEING DIFFERENT... that they have already been has maintained that he will Wife of the vice president, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo (left), and the First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, during the presentation of the first picked by men of the Nigerian not negotiate with nor pay Police. We are yet to see them ransom to bandits. lady’s biography, "Aisha Buhari: Being Different," in Abuja…yesterday Sanusi: Nigeria’s Political, Economic Structures Set up to Fail Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja parameter for calculating the currently has a debt servicing relief is generally in the right should fashion policies around least 10 councillors, the state sustainability or otherwise of ratio of between 90 to 93 per direction, noting that although population, education, targeted has a governor, deputy and Former Emir of Kano, Alhaji the country’s over $33 billion cent. he supports the efforts at programmes to reduce out of legislature. You can imagine Lamido Sanusi, yesterday debt, which is Gross Domestic Sanusi argued that Nigeria getting Nigeria’s creditors school children, quality jobs the hundreds of legislators”. took a swipe at the country’s Product/debt ratio as useless, was not paying attention to the to do so, Nigeria needs to etc," he argued. In his intervention, a economic and political saying that debts were not ratio of its external debts to its show serious commitment Sanusi noted that setting up former Senior Economist at trajectory, concluding that paid or serviced from GDP but external reserves, stressing that and generally review the factories could also lead to the World Bank, Brian Pinto, Nigeria may never succeed from the country’s revenues. while in 2011, total federally structure of its government economic growth, for instance, said there was a need to help if it continues with its current The federal government has collected revenue was $8.9 and economy. the manufacture of solar panels vulnerable countries surmount unsustainable structure. always argued that the GDP/ billion, with debt being about He said that Nigeria needs in-country instead of the the huge impact of covid-19, The ex-governor of the debt ratio was still below its $5 billion, it has since then to invest in education and current massive importation. but doubted if Nigeria was Central Bank of Nigeria projected ceiling despite the skyrocketed. agriculture, which he said He stated that what ready to do the hard work. (CBN) spoke during an online criticisms that have trailed the The former monarch stated has grown because of the happened in the past when Pinto, who is credited with roundtable with the theme: country’s increased borrowing.