BusinessDay 07 Jan 2019

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16 BUSINESS DAY www.businessday.ng https://www.facebook.com/businessdayng @Businessdayng Monday 07 January 2019 In Association With Blue Christmas On January 7th, Egypt’s Copts celebrate a sad Christmas The largest Christian community in the Arab world faces bombs, bullets and neglect SOMETIMES, THE simplest of gestures carries weight. In 2015 Abdel- Fattah al-Sisi became the first president of Egypt to attend a Christmas mass. He has done so each year since, and will probably do so again on January 7th, the date on which Egypt’s Coptic Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus. The long-persecuted Copts are glad that the Muslim president of their mostly Muslim homeland offers them this token of respect. But Mr Sisi has done little else to improve their plight. The Copts are the largest Christian community in the Arab world, numbering about 10m. Successive governments have ignored laws promising them equality. Copts are frozen out of senior government jobs, particularly in the security services. Textbooks gloss over the history of the church, one of the oldest branches of Christianity. After Mr Sisi’s coup against Muhammad Morsi, Egypt’s first elected president, in 2013, Copts suffered vicious attacks by Mr Morsi’s Islamist supporters. Even the Copts’ right to worship is circumscribed. For most of its modern history Egypt re- stricted church-building under decrees written by the Ottomans and the short-lived monarchy of 1922-53. Security services had to approve new houses of worship. Permission was rarely granted. In 2011, the last year for which data are available, there was one church for every 2,780 Christians. Per person, Muslims had about four times as many mosques, which are not subject to onerous restrictions. In 2016, to great fanfare, Mr Sisi’s government passed a law to replace these antiquated regulations. It established a formal process for requesting construction permits and a committee to review them. If governors wish to refuse a new church, they must provide a written explanation within four months. But the law has done little to ease the burden, in part because the intelligence services still have an outsized role in the process. Since the law was passed just eight permits have been issued for new churches, a slower pace than before 2016. The 2,500 Copts in Kom el- Raheb, 200km south of Cairo, must drive 40 minutes to the nearest church. Since 2001 they have sought permission to open one in their village. In December they celebrated mass in a building owned by the archdiocese, which they hope will soon receive a licence. Muslim villagers attacked them, pelting their homes with stones. Police rarely bother to investigate such cases. Instead they round up both Christian and Muslim villagers until local leaders agree to a “reconciliation session”. After one such meeting in Kom el-Raheb, Copts agreed to suspend further prayers. The state views churches as a security issue—because terrorists attack them and the police fail to stop the attacks. Seven Copts were shot dead near a Minya monastery in November, on the same road where 28 Copts were killed the previous year. The jihadists of Islamic State claimed responsibility for both attacks. In December a policeman shot two men outside a church in Minya. The victims were not militants. They were local Copts, a father and son who had a dispute with the cop over a parking space. Even where Mr Sisi’s government has deployed more church guards, their presence may not be a comfort. Knocking Gnassingbé Togo’s president suffers an electoral setback Despite an opposition boycott, his party still lost seats IT IS NO mean feat for a ruling party to lose seats in an election boycotted by 14 opposition parties. Yet such is the depth of unhappiness with Faure Gnassingbé, the president of Togo, that his party’s majority shrank in parliamentary elections on December 20th, even though almost no one was standing against it. The opposition coalition shunned the vote, accusing the government of rigging the voters’ register. It also complained that the police and army shot at protesters. On a video circulated on social media in December, a uniformed man in a pickup truck drove up to demonstrators and pointed a rifle at them. The gunman’s face was not visible, and no shots were seen fired on the video. But activists claimed that two people (one a 12-year-old) were shot dead by soldiers that day. Provisional results showed the ruling Union pour la République losing three of its 62 seats. The loss may be crucial. Mr Gnassingbé (pictured), who has run the country since 2005 following the death of his father (who had been in charge for 38 years) wants to be allowed to run again in 2020. Under pressure to stand down, he proposed a constitutional amendment that would limit presidents to only two terms, but insisted that the count should only start at the next election. That could allow him to remain in power until 2030. A referendum on his constitutional amendment was meant to be held on December 16th. But it was called off after a wave of opposition protests by activists demanding that the two-term limit be applied retroactively, which would bar Mr Gnassingbé from running again. Without a referendum Mr Gnassingbé may try to push his constitutional amendments through parliament. But to do so he would need to muster the support of allied parties to get a four-fifths majority (or 73 of 91 votes). If the changes are rammed through parliament, or if another referendum is called, the result would probably be more protests. Politically speaking, no one expects to hear Faure’s requiem soon.
Monday 07 January 2019 g www. g @ g BUSINESS DAY 17 CITYFile NSCDC official charged with murder in Lagos A Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps personnel, Kehinde Osho, who allegedly shot and killed a man, has been charged before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos. Osho is facing a count charge of murder, but he pleaded not guilty. He was brought to the court on Friday. The prosecutor, Oladele Adebayo, had told the court that the accused committed the offence on November 18, 2018, at 9.00p.m., on Pipeline Way, Oke-Ado, Lagos. Adebayo said that the accused shot Taofeek Andulqadir, 31, with a gun on the head in contravention of Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. The chief magistrate O.O. Olatunji, however, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum, and ordered that the case file should be sent to the state Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice. He adjourned the case until February 7, for mention. Obaseki settles medical bills of patients at UBTH Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo has paid the medical bills of some patients at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and the Central Hospital, in Benin, the state capital. Charles Idahosa, a former commissioner in the state, who disclosed this, said the governor also recently flew three patients from UBTH to Israel for Kidney transplant and the operations were successful. According to him, Obaseki delegated some doctors who visited the various hospitals in the state to recommend patients suffering from severe ailments and are unable to afford their medical bills for consideration by the state government. 6 suspected cultists docked in Ogun Six suspected secret cult members are standing trial before an Ota Chief Magistrate Court in Ogun State. The accused are Olanilekan Abass, 22; Rasheed Nurudeen, 18; Rafiu Sholola, 37; Fatai Abiodun, 30; Lateef Abiodun, 30; and Atiba Olarigbigbe, 30. They are facing trial on a two-count charge of membership of unlawful society and conspiracy to which they pleaded not guilty. The accused, who were in court on Friday, and others still at large, allegedly committed the offences on December 26 at 11.30 pm. in Owode-Ijako area of Ota. Police prosecutor, Abdulkareem Mustapha told the court that the accused and others belong to a society identified as “Aiye Confraternity”. The offences contravened Sections 3, 5 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun, 2006. Chief magistrate, Mathew Akinyemi, in his ruling, granted each of the accused bail of N300, 000 with two sureties in like sum and fixed further hearing on the case for February 11. NAN Where are the Trucks? The Ijora- Apapa Bridges in Lagos, dreaded for their notorious traffic jam look empty; sanity that motorists and residents wish will continue when activities return in full swing in Apapa, Lagos. Pic by Pius Okeosisi FG to reclaim land, communities ravaged by erosion JOSHUA BASSEY The Federal Government says it is working to reclaim all land lost to gully erosion and assist floodravaged communities regain their means of livelihood. The assurance was contained in a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST) at the weekend. Abdul Aminu, head, public relations unit of the ministry, in the statement quoted the minister of science and technology, Obgonnaya Onu, as giving the assurance at the launch of gully erosion control works at Okwohia, Obowo/Ihitte Uboma local government area of Imo. According to him, the intervention of Federal Government would usher a huge relief to the Okwohia community which had for long been devastated by ecological challenges. Onu said: “The approval of the project is a testimony to the present administration’s resolve to ensure that no part of the country will be allowed to suffer any neglect due to geographical location. “To further consolidate on the gains of this stride, the Federal Government’s execution of projects across the country also demonstrates the sincerity of purpose of APC-led administration toward promoting equity and fair play to all and sundry.” The minister believed that the project would improve the standard of living of the community and its environs. He said that the project would additionally reduce the danger posed to lives and property associated with erosion and persistent flooding experienced in recent times. He affirmed that Federal Government would continue to implement genuine government policies, agreements and contracts at both national and international levels that were aimed at laying solid foundation for virile and prosperous nation. The permanent secretary, Ecological fund Office, Habiba Lawal, said that the project was initiated through a request for an urgent intervention forwarded to the Ecological Fund Office. She explained that the request was forwarded by Benjamin Uwajumobi, who represents the Imo North District at the upper chamber of the National Assembly. Lawal, who was represented by Mathias Eluma, said that the launch and hand over of the project to the benefiting community would enable the people to take over and ensure its maintenance and sustainability. A’Ibom procures N5bn equipment for specialist hospital ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo Akwa Ibom government has purchased medical equipment worth N5 billion for Ibom Specialist Hospital to boost healthcare delivery in the state. Dominic Ukpong, the commissioner for health, disclosed this when members of the Divine Mandate Campaign Team visited the paramount ruler of Eket, Etim Abia, on Friday in Eket. According to him, the state has been paying N400 million quarterly to offset bills for the medical equipment in the hospital. Ukpong, however, said that the hospital was not completed before it was inaugurated the previous administration. “We are paying the money now and the hospital had been inaugurated but not yet completed. It was supposed to be ground floor, first, second and third floors. “The previous administration did the ground and first floors and left the second and third floors uncompleted. It is not yet plastered but was inaugurated,” he said. He noted that Ibom Specialist Hospital was on August 8, 2018 given out to Clinotech Turnkey to manage for the state, adding that Governor Emmanuel was passionate about improving healthcare delivery in the state. He said some other hospitals in the state, such as Ituk Mbang, Immanuel hospital, Etinan General Hospital, Ikono Hospital and Awa Hospital had been rehabilitated, upgraded and equipped. “We are trying to train people who will manage the hospitals. We have gotten ambulance for emergency medical response such that if you are sick and you cannot leave your home, you will call a certain number and an ambulance will come and pick you up for treatment,” he said.
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