NEWS : NIMC’s website inaccessible as commission denies hacking claim

 The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has denied claims that its website has been breached, preventing people from accessing it.

   
NIMC Head of Corporate Communications, Kayode Adegoke, in a statement posted on the Commission’s Twitter handle@nimc_ng, yesterday, said the purported breach of the National Identity Database going round the social media is “false, a hoax and of mischievous intent”.
  
However, as at the time of filing this report, checks by The Guardian showed that the site www.nimc.gov.ng had not come up.Adegoke, while assuring the public that there were no breaches or incidents, said investigations on the alleged data dump were found to be non-existent in the National Identity Database.

He explained that the Commission investigated the data breach claim and found out that the database scheme presented by the adversary does not tally with the existing schema at NIMC records. He said the data being posted by criminals purporting to contain citizen’s information was fake.  
   
The Commission’s spokesperson said the NIMC guarantees the security of the National Identity Database through various layers of security and can assure that no data was breached.
  
“The members of the general public are, therefore, enjoined to refrain from spreading false reports on the purported data breach,” he stated.
   
Earlier in an interview with an online platform, the Director-General of NIMC, Aliyu Aziz, said the commission was not prepared to have huge traffic on its website.
    
“Among all the data agencies, we are the least in terms of budget, the least in terms of salary structure, and we use experts to manage our system and the private sector comes to take them after a while and pay them better.

“I can say it got to its elasticity level, so it needs to be expanded. You know when you are in the limelight, fraudsters will want to exasperate your efforts.”

MEANWHILE, telecoms operators under the aegis Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), has once again appealed to subscribers.
   
ALTON disclosed that members have responded rapidly to the Federal Government’s directive by putting in place the processes and infrastructure necessary to enable them to incorporate existing National Identity Numbers (NINs) into the current SIM registration data and support subscriber enrolment into the National Identity database.
     
In a statement yesterday signed by the Chairman and Publicity Secretary, Gbenga Adebayo and Damian Udeh respectively, ALTON said it will continue to work closely with the government to deliver on the task ahead of them and ensure that the process is as seamless as possible for all customers.
   
ALTON informed that all Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) have now received an enrolment and verification license from the NIMC or via the NCC, legally enabling them to verify NIN’s provided by customers and to enrol citizens into the NIN database.
  
The body explained that all operators have established various systems to enable subscribers with existing NINs to add their NIN’s to their SIM registration profile.

According to ALTON, options deployed for customer ease and convenience include USSD strings, apps and other self-service online portals, walk-in stores and customer care lines.

“It is important to note that we do expect that when SIM registration details are verified against the NIN database, there are likely to be inconsistencies in some of the data captured e.g. spelling, order and number of names captured. Where such inconsistencies are found, the operators will notify subscribers and provide a quick and easy mechanism to update SIM registration data and ensure alignment.
  
“To facilitate the validation, verification and enrolment processes and having now been licenced by NIMC to provide those services, operators have commenced the process of backend integration with NIMC’s database and increasing the capacity of the respective databases thus enabling more rapid validation and verification,” the statement reads.
   
The body noted that to provide operational steer representatives of NCC, NIMC, ALTON and MNOs will also be meeting regularly to review progress, identify challenges, develop solutions and generally continue to enhance the process to ensure the safety, security and well-being of our customers while making significant progress towards our collective objective.

“We are pleased to see the recently announced extension of the deadline for registration and reiterate our commitment to ensuring the maximum level of compliance possible within the set time frame,” ALTON stated.
   
IN a related development, Paradigm Initiative (PIN) has asked the court to restrain the Nigerian government and telecommunications service provider from carrying out a recent order requiring that all SIM cards not linked to the National Identity Numbers be disconnected by the telecoms service provider.  
  
PIN decries the Nigerian government order requiring all telecommunication service providers to ask their subscribers to link their NIN to the SIM cards within two weeks (which has now been extended by six weeks).

PIN said it is seeking a perpetual injunction restraining the government and the service providers from carrying out the draconian order as it believes it is a violation of fundamental rights to freedom of expression of Nigerian Citizens as guaranteed by Section 39 of the Nigerian 1999 constitution (As amended).
   
Senior Program Manager at PIN, Adeboye Adegoke, said the proposed blocking of SIM cards not linked with the NIN is unlawful and unconstitutional.
 
“Many young people and others, using their mobile phones for expression or to do business online will be affected by the poorly thought-out policy. No reasonable Nigerian will support such a policy that is geared to make life unbearable for Nigerian citizens,” he stated.
  
According to him: “over 100 million Nigerians have no identity (ID) cards. These include the poorest and the most vulnerable groups, such as the marginalised – women and girls, the less-educated people, migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, stateless persons, people with disabilities and people living in rural and remote areas.” 

NEWS : NIMC , How foreign vendors locked us out of previous database of Nigerians

 

Hadiza Ali Dagabana, general manager, legal services, regulatory and compliance of the commission, said the current administration inherited a database controlled by foreigners but was unable to regain full access.

Speaking on Nigeria Info FM 99.3 on Tuesday, she said this was as a result of vendor lock-in, which refers to when people are forced to continue using a service regardless of quality, because of the cost of switching away from it.

Most Nigerians may have participated in at least four data-capturing processes during which various government agencies collect their data including biometrics.

But despite the previous data capture, the federal government recently mandated all citizens to update their SIM card with their national identity number (NIN) as issued by the NIMC.

This angered many people who called on the government to create a central database with existing data collected by various agencies.

But Dagabana said NIMC does not have access to the national identity card database of Nigerians as captured in 2004.

“For 2004, the database is sitting in our office but we don’t have access to it. We learnt from the mistake of our predecessors to make sure that what we are creating is managed and run by Nigerians 100 percent,” she said.

“What we inherited was not accessible to any Nigerian; it was foreigners, what you call — for those that are in the IT industry — vendor lock-in. So, the vendors locked us out. Nobody can access the system.

“The government negotiated, tried as much as possible to get access but when there is no guarantee that if we are given access, we will find the data the way we wanted to, we just decided to build our system afresh with privacy.

“The issue of vendor lock-in, we had to look into that seriously to make sure that no foreign vendor will lock us in in our country with resources and infrastructure that the government had built.”

NEWS : Wike gifts Rivers judiciary officials 29 SUVs

 

RIVERS State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has charged the judiciary to crave for independence in discharging their functions without intimidation and not just to control budgets.

The governor, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt by his media aide, Kelvin Ebiri, said this was imperative because no government and country could make meaningful progress if the judiciary was not allowed to carry out their functions independently.

Wike stated this at the official presentation of 29 brand new Renault Koleos 2020 SUVS to chairmen of the Customary Courts of the Rivers State Judiciary in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, saying the judiciary was far weaker than the other two arms of government.

He maintained that no one would be able to talk about democracy without the rule of law and added that the judiciary was pivotal in any given society where the rule of law reigned.

“If Nigeria wants to move forward, if this country wants development, then we must allow the judiciary to operate independently and do their work,” the governor said.

Wike described as unfortunate the unwillingness of the judiciary in Nigeria to seek true independence to discharge their functions without harassment and intimidation.

“They’ve always said they want to be independent, but truly speaking, you don’t want to be independent. I have never seen an arm of government that is so afraid, intimidated by other arms of government like the judiciary. I have never seen that in my life.

“The independence of the judiciary you are looking for is only for budget. But you are not talking about independence of how you can carry out your job without any influence or intimidation. Independence is more when you are able to carry out your job without anybody influencing you,” he stated.

The governor disclosed that he had told the state Attorney General that there was an urgent need to amend the law to expand the jurisdiction of the Customary Court of Appeal because chieftaincy matters were still being filed at the state High Court.

 “So, we are going to expand their jurisdiction to allow them to take on chieftaincy matters in all the local government,” the governor said.

The governor said the vehicles were given to the Customary Court chairmen to enable them to discharge their functions unhindered.

Speaking, Rivers State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Professor Zaccheus Adangor (SAN), commended the governor for his unwavering support for the judiciary and advised the beneficiaries to continue to administer justice expeditiously and more effectively.

The President, Customary Court of Appeal, Rivers State, Justice C.I. Gabriel-Nwankwo, said the provision of the official vehicles would inspire and motivate the beneficiaries to perform their work.

On her part, Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Adama Iyayi-Lamikanra, said Governor Wike’s commitment to enhance the welfare of judicial officers in the country remained unparalleled.

NEWS : CHRISTMAS IN ANNUS HORRIBILIS

 

Chiedu Okoye urges all to celebrate Christmas with caution

Is Christmas not the most celebrated and popular religious festival in our today’s world? Christmas ranks higher than other religious festivals in popularity because Christians and non-Christians alike celebrate the Christmas festival. From New Delhi, India to Jakarta, Indonesia; and from Nairobi, Kenya to Melbourne, Australia, people from different races who profess religious faiths other than Christianity celebrate Christmas. And for many years, the peoples of the world have been celebrating Christmas, joyously.

But what is Christmas? Simply put, it is the commemoration and remembrance of the birthday of Jesus Christ, who is the only begotten Son of God. He paid the ransom for our sins by accepting to die on the cross for us. He is our redeemer and Messiah. So, those who exercise faith in Him will have eternal life.

Concerning His birth, we have different harmonious narrative accounts recorded in the synoptic gospel of the Bible. His nativity story has it that he was born of Immaculate Conception to parents, who belonged to lowly stations in life. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was betrothed

to Joseph, a carpenter. Both had not been sexually involved with each other when Joseph discovered that she was pregnant with a baby. So, he was contemplating putting her away when an angel of the Lord advised him against taking that course of action, telling him the reasons. He heeded the angel’s piece of advice.

During His stay on earth, Jesus propagated and spread the message of love. Love was the doctrinal base of His teachings, although He dwelt on such religious issues as forgiveness, repentance, paradise, and others. His revolutionary teachings, which his people deemed capable of upturning their ways of life, contributed majorly to His crucifixion on the cross. By His death on the cross, He paid the ransom for our sins. Now, whosoever believes in His name and obeys His command shall not perish but have eternal life.

Being a great religious personage and prophet, His birthday deserves remembering and commemorating. His phenomenal deeds, which are recorded in the new testament of the Bible, bear him out as a great religious teacher, prophet, and miracle worker. He’s a demi-god, who’s partly human and partly divine. He brought dead people back to life, converted water into wine, and calmed tempestuous sea. And his radical and revolutionary teachings have greatly influenced our way of life.

So, over the centuries, since his death on the cross, the peoples of the world have been celebrating his birthday. However, some Christian sects such as the Seventh Day Adventist Church and the Jehovah Witnesses do not commemorate his birthday on the grounds that Jesus Christ didn’t instruct us to celebrate his birthday. And, other people who do not mark Christ’s birthday aver that it was improbable that Jesus Christ was born on December 25 based on the narrative accounts of His birth, which are recorded in the Bible.

More so, legends and other lores have it that Saturnalia, a pagan festival, was Christianized into Christmas. Whether or not Jesus Christ’s exact birthday was December 25 is immaterial to us now as every December 25 is set aside for the celebration of His birthday.

Now, another Christmas is around the corner. We know that we have entered the Yuletide season when the deciduous trees start shedding their leaves. Then, our lips will become chapped. And houses near the roads will be coated with dust, which is ochre in colour, and which is the earth’s colour. When we start feeling a chill in the air, it is the unmistakable sign of the coming of Christmas.

As the Christmas day approaches, people get into a frenzy of preparation for the festival. They will buy new clothes and pairs of shoes for their children and relations. Others will have their houses dabbed with a coat of paint so as to beautify them. And people with the financial wherewithal may buy cars during the period for the celebration of Christmas.

That is how we celebrate Christmas in this part of the world. Besides the fact that it is the world’s remembrance of the birth of Christ, it is the time for mass home-coming of a people to their natal homes. Again, during the period, couples do solemnize their marital unions in churches. And, in many towns, chieftaincy titles will be bestowed and conferred on high-flying individuals, who have reached the acme in their careers and endeavours.

But sadly, the true meaning of Christmas as well as the reason for celebrating it is lost on many Christians in the Christendom. Do they know that Jesus Christ for whom they are commemorating Christmas stands for love? Instead of demonstrating acts of charity through their deeds during the Christmas period, many rich people engage in ostentatious and flamboyant display of their wealth. And during the period, young people do engage in illicit sexual concupiscence with the consequences of some school girls having unintended pregnancies. Again, during past yuletide seasons, many young people had died in unavoidable car accidents, which were caused by their drunk- driving.

Jesus Christ for whom we celebrate and mark Christmas performed acts of charity during His earthly life and ministry. It behooves us to follow Christ’s examples by being our brother’s keepers during the yuletide and beyond. More so, were Jesus Christ alive today, he would not approve of people participating in bacchanalian orgies in the name of celebrating Christmas. Jesus Christ lived a chaste life, and he was not known for indulging in epicurean and hedonistic deeds.

As we celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ, who is our redeemer, we should reflect on his deeds and teachings. If we abide by Jesus Christ’s commands, which are captured vividly in the synoptic gospel of the Bible, we will be able to tame and rein in our proclivities for doing evil deeds. A world that is filled by people who are Christ-like in their natures will be an oasis of peace and unity.

It is an indisputable fact that the year 2020 is an annus horribilis. It has spun Covid-19 pandemic and #endsars bloody protests, causing loss of lives and limbs, and hurting our mono-economy severely. So do we have cause to celebrate 2020 Christmas by throwing bacchanalian parties and spending money extravagantly instead of engaging in sober reflection and helping the dirt-poor?

NEWS : Trump rejects Covid relief bill, calling it ‘a disgrace’

President Donald Trump on Tuesday rejected a massive Covid economic relief package passed by Congress, branding it 

“a disgrace”

 in an act of political brinkmanship less than a month before he must leave office and when millions of Americans are suffering fallout from the pandemic.

Trump dropped the bombshell via a pre-recorded statement made in the White House and sent out on Twitter.

It came just a day after his Republicans and the Democrats finally agreed overwhelmingly to a $900 billion bill meant to throw a lifeline to businesses and people struggling to keep heads above water.

In his address, Trump said he would refuse to accept the bill as it is and demanded changes, notably a big increase in the proposed $600 direct payments to less well-off Americans.

“I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000, or $4,000 for a couple,” he said, referring to relief checks.

Tapping into his nationalist “America First” brand, Trump also castigated measures added onto the bill during complex negotiations that would provide funding for projects benefiting US partners abroad and other non-Covid related items like the environment.

“It really is a disgrace,” he said. “I’m also asking Congress to immediately get rid of the wasteful and unnecessary items from this legislation, and just send me a suitable bill.”

Trump has not yet received the bill and he did not explicitly say he would not sign. If he actually vetoed the package, Congress would almost certainly quickly override that, given the bipartisan support.

In what is widely expected to be only a portion of a slew of presidential pardons and commutations issued in the dying days of the administration, the White House also announced late Tuesday that 20 people had been selected.

They included two convicted in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe into Trump campaign ties to Moscow and four men convicted in connection with the mass killing of at least 14 Iraqi civilians.

Power struggle
The Covid package is wrapped into a $2.3 trillion, almost 5,600-page “coronabus” bill that includes a so-called omnibus bill to fund the government for the coming year.

NEWS : Trump vetoes $740bn annual US defence bill

 

President Donald Trump on Wednesday vetoed legislation establishing the United States military’s $740bn annual budget, setting up a confrontation with Congress where a broad bipartisan majority backs the bill.

“Unfortunately, the Act fails to include critical national security measures, includes provisions that fail to respect our veterans and our military’s history, and contradicts efforts by my Administration to put America first in our national security and foreign policy actions,” Trump wrote in his veto message to the US House. “It is a ‘gift’ to China and Russia.”

Trump objects to language in the National Defense Authorization Act that would constrain his ability to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan, South Korea and Germany.

The president also opposes a provision that would require the Pentagon to change the names of military bases named for former Confederate soldiers who fought in the US Civil War.

“I have been clear in my opposition to politically motivated attempts like this to wash away history and to dishonor the immense progress our country has fought for in realizing our founding principles,” Trump wrote.

In addition, the president was unhappy that Congress did not repeal Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which shields social media companies from liability for content posted on their platforms by users.

“Your failure to terminate the very dangerous national security risk of Section 230 will make our intelligence virtually impossible to conduct without everyone knowing what we are doing at every step,” Trump wrote

Trump has accused Twitter and Facebook of political bias for censoring right-wing groups and tagging some of his posts to show that the content is disputed.

Vetoing the bill now forces members of Congress to return to Washington in between the upcoming Christmas and New Year’s holidays in order to re-pass it.

“The President’s veto of the National Defense Authorization Act is an act of staggering recklessness that harms our troops, endangers our security and undermines the will of the bipartisan Congress,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement after Trump’s veto. Pelosi said the House would vote to override his veto on December 28.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who had advised against the veto, said he would call the Senate back to session on December 29 for that chamber’s veto override vote.

The Republican-led Senate voted 84 to 13 to approve the bill after it passed the Democratic-controlled House by a vote of 335 to 78 on December 8 – both margins greater than the two-thirds needed to override the presidential veto. While there may be some Republicans who voted for the bill the first time who will not vote to overturn Trump’s veto, it appears most members will support the legislation.

The annual bill provides pay rises for US military personnel. Most members of Congress will not want to be seen siding with Trump in taking away benefits from members of the US armed forces.

Although he been urged by congressional Republicans to pass the bill, Trump’s veto is not a surprise. Trump tweeted on December 17 that he would veto the bill.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters at a news conference on December 15 that the president intended to veto the legislation.

The White House’s Office of Management and Budget had issued a statement on December 8 detailing the reasons why Trump would veto the bill.

BUSINESS : Fitch Affirms and Withdraws Grupo Famsa's Ratings

 

Fitch Ratings - Mexico City - 23 Dec 2020: Fitch Ratings has affirmed Grupo Famsa S.A.B. de C.V.'s Long-Term Local and Foreign Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) at 'D' and Famsa's outstanding senior notes issuance at 'C'/'RR5'.

 In addition, Fitch has affirmed Famsa's Long-Term National Scale Rating at 'D(mex)' and the National Short-Term Rating at 'D(mex)'. Simultaneously, Fitch has withdrawn all Famsa's ratings.

Fitch has withdrawn Famsa's ratings for commercial reasons. Accordingly, the agency will no longer provide ratings or analytical coverage for Famsa.

International scale credit ratings of Non-Financial Corporate issuers have a best-case rating upgrade scenario (defined as the 99th percentile of rating transitions,

 measured in a positive direction) of three notches over a three-year rating horizon; and a worst-case rating downgrade scenario 

(defined as the 99th percentile of rating transitions, measured in a negative direction) of four notches over three years. 

The complete span of best- and worst-case scenario credit ratings for all rating categories ranges from

 'AAA' to 'D'. Best- and worst-case scenario credit ratings are based on historical performance. For more information about the methodology used to determine sector-specific best- and worst-case scenario credit ratings,

Famsa has an Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) Relevance Score of '5' for Management Strategy due to the number of operational restructures that have occurred due to challenges the company has faced in implementing its strategy.

Famsa has an ESG Relevance Score of '5' for Financial Transparency due to a record of material differences from audited financial statements and the company's reported figures.

Famsa has an ESG Relevance Score of '4' for Governance Structure due to board effectiveness and ownership concentration, which has an unfavorable effect on the credit profile and is relevant to the rating in conjunction with other factors.

Famsa has an ESG Relevance Score of '4' for Group Structure as that the company presents a below-average transparency of related-party transactions. This has a negative effect on the credit profile and is relevant to the rating in conjunction with other factors.

Except for the matters discussed above, the highest level of ESG Credit Relevance, if present, is a Score of '3'. This means ESG issues are credit-neutral or have only a minimal credit impact on the entity, either due to their nature or the way in which they are being managed by the entity. For more information on our ESG Relevance Scores visit www.fitchratings.com/esg.

Following the withdrawal of the ratings for Grupo Famsa, Fitch will no longer be providing the associated ESG Relevance Scores.