NAN-HE-8
Sukuk
By Abdulfatah Babatunde
Lagos, Nov. 29, 2017 (NAN) The Debts Management Office (DMO) says Federal Government is processing the release of another funds to contractors working on the road projects.
The DMO said that the release was based on the documents recently received from the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing that it was implementing the road projects.
It said in a statement in Lagos that release of the fund was expected to accelerate work on the road projects.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the road projects are being financed by the proceeds of the N100 billion Sovereign Sukuk Bond, which was over-subscribed by N5.88 billion in September.
NAN reports that the N100 billion seven-year debut Sukuk offer, closed on Sept. 22.
The Federal Government had on Oct. 4 in Abuja released N100 billion to road contractors to facilitate the construction and rehabilitation of 25 priority road projects across the six geo-political zones.
NAN reports that Sukuk Bonds are Islamic financial instruments structured in such a way to generate returns to investors without infringing the Islamic Law that prohibits “riba” (interest taking).
The bondholders are entitled to a share of the revenues generated by the Sukuk assets.
“This is in line with the plans of the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to provide a better driving experience for motorists during the December festive period,’’ it said.
DMO said that the introduction of Sukuk by the Federal Government, as a financing instrument, has been endorsed by many Nigerians because of the direct link between borrowing and project implementation.
Sukuk financing is required to be asset-backed and the approval received from the sole regulatory body for non-interest financial products in Nigeria- the Financial Regulatory Advisory Council of Experts (FRACE). (NAN)
AIB/GOK
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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Olagoke Olatoye
Dr AbdulHakeem Abdul-Lateef, Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs (1st Right) congratulating Mr Akinyemi Luqman (2nd Left) a recepient of a giant photocopy machine. With them are Prince Sulaiman Olagunju, Executive Director of ZSF (1st Left), Prof. Lai Olurode, Chairman of the occasion (Middle) and Dr Tajudeen Yusuf, Chairman Board of Directors of the ZSF at the 2017 Zakat Distribution organised by the Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation (ZSF) in Lagos
NAN-HE-1
Zakat
By Abdulfatah Babatunde
Lagos, Nov. 29, 2017 (NAN) Some academic and religious scholars have advised states and Federal Government to institutionalise payment of Zakat by wealthy Muslims as effective weapon in the fight against poverty.
They made the call at the 2017 Zakat Distribution ceremony organised by the Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation (ZSF) in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ZSF is a poverty alleviation arm of The Muslim Congress (TMC), a faith-based organisation.
Zakat is the payment made annually under Islamic laws on certain kinds of property and the proceeds are used for charitable purposes.
Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam.
NAN also reports that the foundation distributed cash and materials totalling N108.28 million to 494 beneficiaries at the ceremony in Lagos State.
It had distributed Zakat to beneficiaries in Delta, Ondo, Ado-Ekiti, Osun, Ogun, Oyo, Adamawa, Borno and Yobe earlier in the year.
Speaking at the occasion in Lagos, a religious scholar, Dr AbdulHakeem Abdul-Lateef, called on relevant organisations to sponsor bills in states’ House of Assembly and National Assembly to institutionalise payment of Zakat.
Abdul-Lateef, who is the Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, said that Zakat was meant to help the needy, regardless of religion.
He, therefore, expressed the belief that members of the public must understand the need to push private member bill to support the institution of zakat.
“As important as zakat is, the redistribution of wealth is what can save the economy; we are not poor, it is just that we have refused to redistribute wealth.
“So, members of the civil society organisations and leaders, as well as citizens generally, can call for the institution of zakat to help the poor.
“Zakat is meant to help the needy, regardless of the religious inclination.
“So, I believe that members of the public must understand what it means to push a private member bill.
“Even members of the House of Assembly can do it; the whole essence is to complement the efforts of government.
“Government, every day is talking about public-private partnership, the whole essence is that government cannot do it alone.
“There are so many well-meaning Nigerians whose wealth, if the zakat is paid, will assist in mitigating the hardship faced by so many people,’’ the commissioner said.
Prof. Lai Olurode, a don and Chairman of the occasion, said there was nothing wrong if the Federal Government could institutionalise zakat and Sadaqat as means of alleviating poverty among Nigerians.
“There is nothing wrong if you institutionalise zakat and Sadaqat.
“It will then make it mandatory for wealthy Muslims to pay zakat just as we are talking about the partnership to complement government’s efforts.
“But, because of religious illiteracy and religious prejudices, Nigerians don’t think deeply that zakat is a strong economic tool that can be used to stem poverty.
“Even in Christian dominated countries, they are buying into Sukuk, they are buying into Islamic banking, but in Nigeria, they make it unnecessarily emotional and make it appear as if it is an attempt to Islamise the country,’’ Olurode said.
The Professor of Sociology, who is also the Chairman, University of Lagos Muslim Community, said poverty does not draw boundary between people in terms of their religion.
“It does not draw a boundary in terms of their ethnicity; it does not draw a boundary in terms of their nationality, poverty is poverty, whether you are a Muslim or a Christian, you are going to be.
“So, whatever anybody can do to move people away from poverty should be done regardless of the institution.
So, it doesn’t really matter where the money is coming from, whether it is from Muslims, from zakat or whatever source.
“What is important is that you want to touch humanity, you want to touch a life, you want to give hope to people.
“In Nigeria today, not less than 70 per cent of Nigerians are surviving on less than two dollars a day.
“So, whatever you can do to partner with government to move people out of poverty, it should be done regardless of the religious inclination or thinking,’’ Olurode said.
Mr Sulaiman Olagunju, the Executive Director of ZSF, said that as at October, the foundation had mobilised Zakat totalling N191 million in 2017.
According to Olagunju, the figure is an increase of N71, 907,592 over Zakat of N119, 196,760 last year.
O the Zakat distributed in 2017, the director said N45.2 million was given for economic empowerment purposes.
“Beneficiaries with health-related challenges were assisted with N31.06 million, education assistance to students gulped N11.17 million, while N11.49 million was spent on welfare support.
NAN reports that items distributed at the occasion included tricycles, motorcycles, photocopier machines, pepper-grinding machine, sewing machines, deep freezer, Braille machine and books for blind students, among others. (NAN)
AIB/TA
Edited by Tajudeen Atitebi
Mr Kelvin Fitzgerald, a Director with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)
NAN-H-65
Blind
By Chinyere Nwachukwu
Lagos, Nov. 28, 2017 (NAN) Only 10 per cent of the 285 million visually impaired people, worldwide, are likely to have access to education or get a job, the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) has said.
A Director of the WIPO, Mr Kelvin Fitzgerald, gave the fact at a one-day National Conference on Quality Education, Access and Rights Management in Nigeria in Lagos.
The theme of the conference is: “Access to published works and Rights Management for Sustainable Tertiary Publishing and Global Competitiveness’’.
Fitzgerald said that the Marrakesh Treaty and the Accessible Books Consortium had been working hard to ensure that the visually challenged persons were given equal opportunities to contribute to nation building.
He explained that the consortium had been providing the necessary teaching and learning environment for blind and visually impaired people.
“There is the need for all stakeholders to create that platform that will enable us to carry along the visually impaired and the blind persons in all we do.
“This, we can achieve by bringing books to persons with print disabilities.
“The Word Blind Union estimates that over 90 per cent of visually impaired persons are not able to access education through published materials and that rate is higher in developing countries.
“Of the 285 million blind and visually impaired worldwide, only 10 per cent will go to school or get a job,’’ he said.
The director noted that the adopted Treaty in Marrakesh, Morocco on June 28, 2013, became effective on Sept. 30, 2016.
According to him, the treaty allows for copyright international exceptions to facilitate the creation of accessible versions of books and other copyrighted works for the visually impaired persons.
WIPO director added that such development would set a norm for countries, ratifying the treaty, to have a domestic copyright exception covering these activities, allowing for the importation and exportation of such materials.
“Nigeria’s accession in October 2017 has shown that the country places a high level of priority on the promotion and protection of intellectual property rights.
“We are gradually moving from an innovation consuming nation to an innovation generating economy,’’ he said.
Fitzgerald listed some of the benefits of the Marrakesh treaty on publishers to include producing books in digital formats and thereby expanding the market to new consumers.
He noted that accessible formats makes book products better and streamlines the digital process for all readers.
He said that Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) is one possible initiative among others to implement the objectives of the treaty. (NAN)
Lagos, Nov. 28, 2017 (NAN) The Chairman, Covenant University(CU) Publication Committee, Prof. Solomon Oranusi, says the university has zero tolerance for the sales of handouts by lecturers to students in order to fight intellectual theft and plagiarism.
Oranusi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos that the privately-owned university was striving to rank among the 10 best universities in the world.
Covenant University, Ota in Ogun established in October 2012, is a faith-based institution owned by the Living Faith Church Worldwide and it is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities.
The institution ranked sixth in the July 2017 ranking by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Oranusi said the feat achieved by the university, despite its young age, was as a result of due diligence to academic research and excellent teaching methodology.
“It is zero tolerance, that is, there is nothing like lecturers selling handouts to their students in Covenant University; you don’t try it; and as for textbooks, we don’t produce just any kind .
“We run textbook publication of international standard.
“We are not producing any textbook for our students to use; we produce for other authors, who want to publish materials, in the university.
“All the textbooks we use in CU must meet the standard set out by the international standard committee on publications.
“The university is now reckoned with because we maintain the policy of due diligence to academic research and second to none teaching methodology,’’ he said.
Oranusi, who is aProfessor of Microbiology, said the policy of no sale of handout had earned the university the reputation in the publishing sector.
He added that it was a form of hard-earned quality control.
“Books must pass through academic reviews; through this committee, before we send them to reviewers outside the university.
“The reviewers give their result before any decision can be taken on a book, which is finally sent to the International Standard Desk for ratification before publication.
“Research works are held in the highest esteem by the university and we also have a zero tolerance for plagiarism.
“So, for you to publish anything or use some other people’s work, it must be certified.’’
Oranusi implored private universities to contribute their quota to the fight against intellectual theft by stopping all forms of plagiarism.
“Private universities should fight to protect intellectual properties.
“Intellectual property is in different foray, now looking at how some are using other persons’ materials without properly referencing them.
“For us, every seminal we hold and every project from our undergraduates, masters and doctoral degrees as well as paper presentations go through online checks before they are approved,’’ he said. (NAN)
Dr Abdullahi Baffa, the Executive Secretary of the TETFund
NAN-H-57
Research
By Chinyere Nwachukwu
Lagos, Nov. 27, 2017 (NAN) Dr Abdullahi Baffa, the Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), has expressed worries over what he called low quality of research output coming from Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
He made the assertion while delivering a lead paper at a one-day National Conference on Quality Education, Access and Rights Management in Nigeria, on Monday in Lagos.
Baffa identified such low-quality research output as a serious hindrance to national development.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference was organised by the Reproduction Rights Society of Nigeria in collaboration with the Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities.
The theme of the conference is “Access to Published Works and Rights Management for Sustainable Tertiary Publishing and Global Competitiveness’’.
He said there was the need to reverse the trend, especially the institution-based research being funded by TETFund.
According to Baffa, the National Research Fund, a special intervention introduced in 2011 to encourage research for national development, is yet to be fully explored by the institutions.
He said that the development must be reversed.
“A seed grant of N3 billion was set aside by the Fund for the programme, out of which N1.72 billion has been spent on 44 types of research.
“It is important to note that an additional N1 billion has been allocated to TETFund recently,’’ he said.
The TETFund boss said the national research fund screening and monitoring committee was set up in 2011 to screen and recommend fundable proposals.
He said that the committee was reconstituted and inaugurated in July, while the new 15-member body was set to resume screening of research proposals.
“No fewer than 77 research are currently being funded while up to 1,847 new proposals are being processed for possible funding.’’
He also said that to create access, TETFund had provided funding for the systematic upgrading of academic programmes for a conducive teaching and learning environment in selected tertiary institutions.
According to him, 38 universities received N102 billion while 14 polytechnics and colleges of education received N14.6 billion and N14.3 billion respectively.
This, according to him, is in addition to the N1.5 billion received by the Nigerian Defence Academy.
He said the TETFund Institution Based Research Intervention had been brought back to life since the culture of research and publications “is part of the core mandates of higher educational institutions’’.
Baffa also said that 2,200 projects have been funded from the inception of the Fund, adding that it had also enabled lecturers to develop and produce their academic manuscripts into textbooks.
All these, he said, are made possible through funds made available to the institutions on an annual basis.
He noted that for any work to be funded by TETFund, the manuscripts must be accepted to be published by an academic press.
The scribe added that all research studies funded by TETFund must be published in what he described as “Quartile 1 or Quartile 2 Journals”.
Baffa said that this would guarantee the quality of research works, enhance citation index of the scholars and improve the citation index of Nigeria. (NAN)
NAN-H-30
Fitness
By Abdulfatah Babatunde
Lagos, Nov. 26, 2017 (NAN) Gov. Akunwunmi Ambode of Lagos state on Sunday advised Nigerians to do regular fitness exercise s in order to live a healthy life.
Ambode gave the advice at the 2017 annual fitness exercise tagged “Walk For Life’’ organised by the Human Concern Foundation International, a sister organisation of The Muslim Congress (TMC), in Lagos
The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr AbdulHakeem Abdul-Lateef, said that a “healthy nation is a wealthy nation’’
Cue in
“On behalf of the Governor of Lagos State, I congratulate the Human Concern Foundation International (HCFI) for this fitness exercise.
“I want to say that living healthy requires that we do a lot. Taking the right food, understanding the value of water, understanding when to rest and more than anything, physical exercises.
“So, by doing this regularly, I believe that is not something that should be annual; but it is symbolic.
“It is just meant to gear all of us up that this is what we need to do; minimum of 30 minutes fitness exercise everyday and I believe that you’ll take advantage of this.
“This is the type of collaborative efforts that the government is talking about.
“Only a healthy nation can be referred to as a wealthy nation.
“So on this note, I flag off this walk; we will go in peace and come back in peace.’’
Cue out
The Coordinator of the HCFI, Dr Ibrahim Oreagba remarked that the annual physical exercise was initiated to encourage Nigerians to always take a walk on a regular basis to keep fit and live a healthy life.
Oreagba, who is an Associate Professor at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, said the theme of this year’s walk is “Come let’s Walk for Health and Unity’’.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the fitness exercise involved walking from Jibowu bus stop along Lagos-Ikorodu expressway to Maryland and back to Jibowu, a distance of about 10 kilometres. (NAN)
AIB/IS
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Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz
NAN-H-10
Energy
By Chinyere Nwachukwu
Lagos, Nov. 23, 2017 (NAN) The University of Lagos is researching into a cost-effective solar energy supply to people in its immediate environment.
The university’s Director of Research and Innovation, Prof. Wellington Oyibo, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.
“We have colleagues in the energy space. We told them that we want people to have access to energy that must be cost-effective.
He said that provision of the alternative source of energy would be a unique way for the institution to make more impact on the society.
“If you should compute how much it takes to run a generating set every day, you will discover that what you have spent in buying fuel in a week can actually provide you electricity for one year.
“So, we are talking about access to low-cost energy, which is what we are working on now,’’ Oyibo said.
According to the director, the team of researchers is not only concerned about alternative source of energy, but also about low-cost energy.
Oyibo told NAN that some research products of the university were undergoing material reduction in an effort to reduce cost.
He said that researchers were working on reducing to N10,000 or less, the cost of a product that could ordinarily gulp N100,000, so that it could be affordable.
`All these are in the pipeline; of course, we will not want to tie down the time of the completion to any particular period because a number of factors will come into play.’’
According to him, the research into cost-effective alternative energy source is coming after the university’s groundbreaking research into malaria testing with urine which was validated in 2016.
According to him, the urine test kit is currently in the market.
Oyibo said that the institution was at an advanced stage of providing solutions to a number of societal challenges.
“With focus, commitment and support that the university is providing, we are sure to get to where we intend in terms of research and innovation.’’ (NAN)
CCN/AIB/IGO
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Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Ijeoma Popoola
Katsina, Nov. 21, 2017 (NAN) The West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) on Tuesday released the results of the 2017 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for private candidates.
The Council’s Head of National Office (HNO), Mr Olu Adenipekun, announced the release of the results of the November/December diet of the examination at a news conference in Katsina.
Giving a breakdown of the results, the HNO said 135,945 candidates registered for the examination, but 133,223 wrote the test.
Adenipekun said 131,485 candidates that sat for the examination had their results fully processed and released.
He said that 1,738 candidates had yet to have their full results released because they had a few of their subjects still being processed due to errors traceable to them in the course of registration or writing the examination.
“Such errors are being corrected by the council to enable the affected candidates get their results fully processed and released subsequently,’’ he said.
Out of all candidates that wrote the examination, 34,664 obtained a minimum of credits in five subjects and above, including English Language and General Mathematics, representing 26.01 per cent.
He said the percentage of candidates in this category in 2015 and 2016 were 28.59 per cent and 38.50 per cent respectively.
“One will discover that the results for 2015 and 2017 are comparatively the same.
“There can be a reason for the sharp drop this year in this category, which we have not proved scientifically.’’
He said it could be that some candidates needed a particular subject to make up their deficiencies for the WASSCE for the school candidates results, in order to assist them to gain placements into the higher institutions of their choice.
Adenipekun said that 65,483 other candidates obtained credits and above in five subjects while 46,824 obtained credits and above in six subjects.
In the same vein, 98,506 candidates obtained credits and above in three subjects while 83,256 candidates obtained credits and above in four subjects, and 11,763 others obtained credits and above in two subjects.
He explained that the release of this year’s results was special because it coincided with the 55th annual meeting of the Nigeria National Committee (NNC), holding in Katsina.
“The NNC is the highest policy making organ of WAEC at the national level.
“The committee consists of experienced personalities, with many of them as serving officers in the education sector representing a wide range of interests in the affairs of the council,’’ Adenipekun said.
He promised that WAEC would keep introducing innovations that would continually improve the standard of the examination. (NAN)
The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN)
NAN-H-42
Examination
By Stellamaris Ashinze
Lagos, Nov. 20, 2017 (NAN) No fewer than 51 teachers failed the Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE) conducted by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) in Lagos State.
Mr Gbolahan Enilolobo, the state coordinator of the council, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos that 412 teachers sat for the maiden edition of the examination.
Enilolobo said the failure of the teachers was mainly because they were not conversant with the use of the computer.
According to him, many of them are not digital compliant.
NAN reports that the TRCN had on Oct. 14 conducted the examination for the teachers, through Computer Based Test (CBT).
The examination was to qualify the successful teachers to register as professionals and be licensed with the council.
According to Enilolobo, the unsuccessful teachers will have to re-register for the examination, and after three consecutive failures, they will be disqualified.
“The failure of the teachers is due to their inability to use the computer; especially as it the first time they are using CBT for the examination.
“About three of the teachers exited without even completing the examination, indicating their being unfamiliar with the system at all.
“Those that failed will have to re-sit the examination.
“But if failure occurs consecutively for three times, it means automatic disqualification, and such teacher cannot be licensed,’’ he said.
Giving statistics of the teachers in attendance, Enilolobo said one Ph.D holder, 30 Masters degree holders, 282 First degree and 99 holders of National Certificate of Education sat for the examination.
Professional Qualifying Examination results statistics for Lagos State
He said that nine teachers out of 30 the master’s degree holders that sat for the examination failed.
According to him, 257 out of the 282 first degree holder passed, while 82 passed out of the 99 NCE holders.
“The only PhD teacher also passed the examination.’’
The coordinator said the teachers were the first set to write the examination and they were a bit disadvantaged because there were no past questions to enable them familiarise with the national benchmark of the examination.
“Teachers should align themselves with computer so as to reduce the number of failures, and materials can be gotten from bookshops,” Enilolobo advised. (NAN)
SKA/AIB/SOA
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Prof. Olusegun Ajibola, Dean, College of Postgraduate Studies, delivering the third Inaugural Lecture of the Caleb University, Imota, Lagos State
NAN-HE-1
Lecture
By Olanrewaju Akojede
Lagos, Nov. 20, 2017 (NAN) A university lecturer, Prof. Olusegun Ajibola, has called for synergy between the banking system and stakeholders in the economy to enhance Nigeria’s economic growth and development.
Ajibola, who is the Dean, College of Postgraduate Studies at Caleb University, Imota in Lagos State, made the call while presenting the third inaugural lecture of the institution.
The title of the lecture was “Rhythms and Riddles of Bank Credit: Synergies and Dislocations in Nigeria’s Economic Growth”.
Ajibola, a Professor of Economics, said the Nigerian banking system was fraught with many problems causing impediments to the nation’s economic growth.
“One challenge that I have had to confront recently is the nexus between bank credit and economic growth in our contemporary environment.
“I have scanned pieces of literature and it is clear to me that the literature remains unsettled as far as the interrelationships between bank credit and the developmental aspirations of many developing economies like Nigeria.
“Often, the question is whether the transmission mechanism between the monetary and the real sectors of the economy is sufficiently strong to harness the benefits that money has to offer,’’ he said.
Ajibola, who is also the current President of Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN), said that many attempts had been made to provide answers to problems facing the banking sector which had remained unsolved.
“Most of the works attempted to provide answers to the multiple questions and criticisms that have trailed the roles of banks.
“This is so, especially in mobilising surplus funds for lending to support economic and commercial ventures in the various segments of the economy.
“Banks have been put on the spot severally and issues that bother on their ethical and corporate rules and standards have been raised.
“Often, questions are asked: Are banks shylock? Are they opportunists, profiteers, cheats or victims of circumstances?
“Are they comrades in development and partners in progress?
“These and many other questions keep reverberating,’’ he said.
Ajibola contended that high lending rates, often charged by banks, would not engender economic growth.
“Banks are daily dragged to the court of public opinion regarding their lending practices.
“Why are banks charging exorbitant rates on their loans, but paying me peanuts on my deposits?
“As these questions multiply, the critical question comes in handy: Where lies the disconnection between the fund mobilisation and loan creation functions of banks?’’
He said the rhymes and riddles manifested in the available records of the lending behaviour of the Nigeria banks over the years.
Occasionally, he said, the more of bank credit deployed in the economy, the less the overall impact of such credit on economic growth and development.
Ajibola said banks had critical roles to play in economic development of any country, adding that a strong banking system would be a catalyst to an viable economy.
“Across the globe, a well-functioning financial system is a key enabler of economic growth.
“Banks play an active role in the economic development of a country.
“If the banking system of a country is effective, efficient and disciplined, it brings about the rapid growth in the various sectors of the economy.
“The problems with our banks are, however, competition with one another in a bid to declaring huge profits at the expense of the health of their customers and service offering.’’
The CIBN president said that cases of fraud and other malpractices were rising on daily basis through collusion, insider’s abuse and staff connivance, among others.
This, he said, depicted the total loss of integrity among practitioners.
He said banks were only interested in quick wins, thereby supporting trade and commerce without due concern for the growth of the real sector of the economy.
“Interest rates charged by Nigerian banks are among the highest the world over.
“The failure of banks to lend to agriculture, small and medium scale enterprises as well as micro businesses is responsible for the weak performance of the economy over the years,’’ the lecturer said.
In response to the challenges facing the banking system, Ajibola proposed some solutions which include a flexible system of lending and lower interest rates.
“We need more positive growth through loans for the lagged period.
“Therefore, banks should redefine their lending behaviour to favour longer tenor loans.
“Indeed, tenured loans are more impactful for the real sectors of agriculture and manufacturing in the country.
“Banks should restructure their operations and business template to directly source longer-term funds.
“This should be in the form of equity, debentures, bonds, tenured deposits to enable them to lend for a longer duration.’’
According to him, banks should remain ethical and professional in the conduct of their lending.
“They should continue to engage staffers of right skills and competencies in lending,’’ he said. (NAN)
