Abike Dabiri-Erewa

By Ismaila Chafe

The Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa says over 5,500 Nigerian schooling in war-torn Sudan are among the first batches of Nigerian citizens being evacuated from the troubled country.

Dabiri-Erewa made the disclosure at the weekly ministerial briefing organized by the Presidential Communications Team, on Thursday in Abuja.

According to her, there are over three million Nigerians residing in Sudan and efforts are being made to evacuate as much as possible from the country, if the war persists.

She, however, maintained that priority would be on children, students and women.

She said already, 13 buses had departed Sudan for Egyptian border Aswan, from where the returnees would be airlifted back to Nigeria.

She said:We have some buses that have departed from the African International University in Khartoum, Sudan and as I speak, I think they are just about two hours away from Aswan in Cairo.

Others departed from the Elrazi University also in Khartoum.

All in all, 13 buses have departed for Aswan border in Egypt where they will be received by the Nigerian Ambassador there and the Director General of the National emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Habib Ahmed, who is already there with some officials.

According to NIDCOM chairman, it is now time for Nigeria to focus more on Nigerians in Sudan and other parts of Africa because there are many of them residing in other African countries.

When we were talking about Diaspora voting, some people were saying when we do that, it may not augur well. But we said no, we need to go to places like Sudan where we have millions of Nigerians who migrated there years ago and they have relationships and businesses there.

The data is being worked on but I want to tell you categorically that by the time we finish the research we are doing, perhaps Sudan would be one of the largest areas where we have the largest concentration of Nigerians in diaspora.

Everytime we focus on Europe, America and all that, it is time to focus on Africa and Africans in the Diaspora,she said.

Dabiri-Erewa said as the evacuees return to Nigeria, they would be given some stipends to help them settle down before joining their families.

NEMA will decide what would be given to the returnees because the funding is with the Ministry of Humanitarian affairs and Disaster Management. Usually is just a little amount.

The last one, we gave them we evacuated people, we gave them . So, it depends on the budget they have.

But we in NIDCOM give them recharge cards, SIM cards and sometimes phones. Usually they get just to hold and these are students coming back to their families. They are not refugees, they have homesshe said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

Source: NAN News

From L-R: Fasina Olakunle, Director PPP Department, State House, Mrs Agalasi Ehigie, Director, Infrastructure Management Department, OHCSF representing the Head of Civil Service and DG ICRC and Chairman of 3PUCF, Michael Ohiani at the 2023 Public-Private Partnership Consultative Forum

By Okeoghene Akubuike

Mr Micheal Ohiani, Director-General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), says the Federal Government remains committed to infrastructure development in Nigeria through Public-Private Partnership (PPP).

Ohiani said this at the 1st Quarter 2023 Public-Private Partnership Consultative Forum (3PUCF) and the Inauguration of State House PPP-Unit in Abuja on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was hosted by the State House.

According to Ohiani, since the last 3PUCF meeting held in December 2022, the Federal Government has achieved more successes and milestones in major sectors to achieve a PPP economy.

The director-general said the 1st quarter meeting was scheduled for March 2, 2023, but had to be postponed due to the general elections.

Ohiani, who gave a summary of the PPP projects recorded since the last meeting, said there were more projects at the inception stage waiting to commence development.

He said: We have over 200 projects at different stages of the development and procurement phases.

In addition to over 40 projects at the implementation phase, I believe that together, we can do even more in the year, he added.

He listed out some projects the commission had issued Outline Business Case (OBC) Compliance Certificates to include the development of Ports of Ondo Multipurpose Deep-Sea Port and the Benin Port Project in Edo State.

Ohiani said others included the Expansion and Development of Snake Island and the Lagos Multipurpose Sea Port project of the Federal Ministry of Transportation.

The Burutu Port Complex Phases 1, 2, and 3 projects had the OBC Compliance Certificate revalidated,Ohiani said

He revealed that in the PPP Procurement Phase, the following had been accomplished, with the issuance of Full Business Case(FBC) Compliance Certificates.

Revalidation of the FBC Compliance Certificate for Establishment of an Aviation Leasing Company (ALC) of the Federal Ministry of Aviation.

The Refurbishment, Operation and Management of the water system at Tin Can Port, Tin Can Island by Nigeria Ports Authority.

These give a total of 153 OBC Compliance Certificates and 75 FBC Compliance Certificates issued by the Commission to date, which is a record on its own.

Ohiani also listed out some projects that had received the Federal Executive Councils approvals to enable them achieve Commercial Close.

He said the projects included the Central Offshore Waste Reception Facility (OWREF) Concession and Eastern Offshore Waste Reception Facility (OWREF) Concession.

The director-general said others were the e-custom project of the Federal Ministry of Finance and the National Fire Detection and Alarm System project of the Federal Fire Service under the Ministry of Interior.

Development of Cassava Bio Ethanol Value Chain project of the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning.

The design, construction and financing of a Mixed Development Comprising Residential Houses, Hotels, Recreational Facilities and Office Blocks for Commercial Purposes Under a PPP arrangement of the FRCN.

The Permanent Secretary, State House, Tijjani Umar, in his address, commended the ICRC for creating a roadmap to handle projects and programmes on infrastructure development through PPP.

I share the spirit that 10 years from now because we have placed our fingers in the right places and we have planned, execution is guaranteed to be delivered.

Umar gave his assurances that the state house would work closely with other Ministries, Departments and Agencies(MDAs) for the greater good of the country, adding we should seek ways of using technology to attract viable projects.

He disclosed that the state house in consultation with the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, identified and tentatively screened three of its projects for possible consideration of final cases of PPP.

They include the State House Wildlife Sanctuary and Citizens Park, State House Medical Centre, and State House Lagos Facility and we have trained our staff to prepare for this he said.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), and Chairman of the meeting, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, called on more (MDAs) to create PPP departments.

Yemi-Esan, represented by Mrs Agalasi Ehigie, Director, Infrastructure Management Department, Office of the HCSF, said the ICRC was doing a lot to ensure the infrastructure needs of the country were met.

NAN reports that the forum, which was inaugurated 10 years ago at the State House, provides a platform for PPP departments in MDAs and stakeholders to share ideas, success stories, and challenges on their PPP projects to drive economic growth in Nigeria. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Modupe Adeloye/Vivian Ihechu

Source: NAN News

From left: Representative of the Director-General, Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Mr Chukwuma Ngaha; Assistant Director RMRDC/Head Lovastatin Pilot Plant, Mrs Uche Maduegbunam; Deputy Director, Engineering Design Development Division, RMRDC, Mr Obassi Ettu, RMRDC, and others during the RMRDCs facility tour on breakthrough in process technology and local content development and innovation in Abuja

By Sylvester Thompson

The Federal Government through the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), has established the agriculture and mineral resources International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) certification laboratory in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the newly established lab is aimed at analyzing agro and mineral resources produced in accordance with international standards for exportation.

Mr Obassi Ettu, Deputy Director, Engineering Design, Development and Technical Assistant to the Director-General of the council, said the laboratory will curb the short-changing of exporters by other investors.

Ettu, who took newsmen on a tour of the newly constructed facility, added that it was part of the achievements of Prof. Hussain Ibrahim, the Director-General of the council.

He said the laboratory was part of RMRDCs response to the nations requirements for quality infrastructure.

Exporters can short-change themselves by exporting their materials raw, what you need is value addition and it can be done by knowing what is inside the raw materials.

It is done when the laboratory provides you with a characterisation of what is contained in the raw materials and with it the raw materials value rises.

For instance, lead zinc exporters who sell raw zinc are given anything because they need money.

But after analysing the lead zinc, you would find silver, copper, lead and zinc leading to the value of the material.

This would be listed out in the ISO certificate and an added value in the market, he said.

Dr. Fortune Alabi, Assistant Director and Head, Pharmaceutical Materials Division, said the laboratory was ISO certified, hence whatever result it presented was accepted worldwide as a well certified analysis. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Joseph Edeh

Source: NAN News

L-R: Mr Steven Hill, Executive Secretary IIJ. Ms Francesca Santoro, Head of Department Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, retired Rear Adm. Yaminu Musa , Coordinator National Counter Terrorism Centre at the Global Counter Terrorism Forum (GCTF) 7th Plenary Meeting in Malta.

By Sumaila Ogbaje

Abuja, April 28, 2023 (NAN) Nigeria and Italy have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening criminal justice and rule of law in combating terrorism across the globe.

This commitment was demonstrated when the two countries co-chaired the seventh Plenary Meeting of the Global Counterterrorism Forums (GCTF) Criminal Justice and Rule of Law (CJ-ROL) Working Group in St Julians, Malta.

This is contained in a statement from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) on Friday in Abuja.

The Coordinator, National Counterterrorism Centre (NCTC), retired Rear Adm. Yaminu Musa, said the administration of criminal justice terrorism-related cases could neither be efficient nor effective if the rights of those concerned were not protected.

Musa, who represented Nigeria at the event, said the effect of lack of protection for witnesses had resulted in the striking out of cases by the courts involving heinous crimes because witnesses often refuse to testify due to the absence of a system designed to cater to their protection.

He said that Nigeria had on May 23, 2022, signed the Witness Protection and Management Act into law to specifically address that challenge.

According to him, Nigeria first co-chaired the CJ-ROL Working Group with Switzerland in 2018 and developed the Abuja Recommendations on Collection, Use and Sharing of Evidence for Purposes of Criminal Prosecution of Terror Suspects.

He said the recommendation was endorsed at the 2018 GCTF Ministerial Meeting on the sidelines of the 72nd United Nations General Assembly.

It also co-organised the First Expert Meeting of the Working Group for the development of a set of recommendations on Rule of Law-Based Administrative Measures in the Counterterrorism Context held at The Hague, The Netherlands, he said.

The NCTC coordinator said the CJ-ROL working group had since inception, accomplished a lot through the development of recommendations and good practice memoranda, such as the Rabat Memorandum on good practices for effective ccounterterrorismpractice in the criminal justice sector.

He added that the working groups Hague Memorandum on Good Practices for the Judiciary in Adjudicating Terrorism Offense had also been compiled to assist judges to more effectively adjudicate cases that involve terrorism.

It will also assist them in respecting the rights of all parties involved in the cases, in particular the rights to a fair trial for the accused, and the protection of victims and witnesses.

We intend to build on the accomplishments of this important working group and further the knowledge and good practice to support the effective dispensation of effective criminal justice, rule of law and human right-based responses to terrorism, he said.

Musa said the meeting, which was the first under the new working group co-chairs, focused on the presentation of priority areas highlighted in the groups work plan for the period of 2022-2024.

The meeting will guide the activities of the group as it offered an opportunity for members to discuss collaboration and synergies with other GCTF working groups and initiatives.

The CJ-ROL Working Group of the GCTF focuses on the critical role played by the criminal justice sector in combating terrorism and demonstrates the GCTFs commitment to supporting rule-of-law-based and human rights-compliant approaches.

The GCTF Criminal Justice and Rule of Law Working Group, co-chaired by Italy and Nigeria, is dedicated to supporting the development of effective criminal justice systems within a rule of law framework and fully respecting human rights.

It aims to ensure that persons who plan, perpetrate or support terrorist acts are brought to justice, he said. (NAN) ()

edited by Sadiya Hamza

Source: NAN News

By Nathan Nwakamma

The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has vowed to resist ongoing efforts to redraw the map of Akwa Ibom, designed to realign Ijaw settlements.

According to the group, the aim of the realignment is to bring communities into Ijaw settlements who are oil bearing communities.

The pan Ijaw socio-cultural and pressure group dismissed claims advanced by promoters of the project as false, baseless and mischievous.

INC said that claims that Akwa Ibom has no map hence the need to draw a map by the state government was a ploy to realign settlements in the state to bring communities into Ijaw settlements who are oil bearing communities.

Prof Benjamin Okaba, President of INC, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Ijaws across the Niger Delta region were being mobilised to halt plans to further marginainalise them in Akwa Ibom.

Okaba regretted that some interest groups who are not comfortable with the natural endowments of oil and gas in Ijaw settlements in Akwa Ibom, want to use government machinery to distort Ijaw settlements and create boundary crisis.

According to Okaba, it is regrettable that while the INC is in the struggle to reverse the marginalisation of the Niger Delta region in the Nigerian context, the people of the region are busy marginaising their kinsmen.

The Ijaw leader who described the plot as internal colonisation, said that it was both illegal and unconstitutional for a state government to delve into mapping and boundary adjustments which are clearly on the exclusive legislative list.

He explained that mapping and boundary adjustments were clearly the role of the Federal Government, the Surveyor General of the Federation and the National Boundary Commission, respectively.

It is laughable that people are claiming that the state of Akwa Ibom created some 35 years ago has no map, when the major requirement for state creation is a map.

How then did the constituencies delineation take place if there is no map, on what basis does Akwa Ibom get its revenue from the federation account?

The state of Akwa Ibom also won cases bordering on oil wells with neighbouring states at the Supreme Court and the map of the state tendered as evidence formed the basis of the verdict and the maps are still in the records, Okaba said.

He said that INC would take every necessary step to support and protect the economic interest of Ijaws in Akwa Ibom in their quest to benefit from the three per cent host community fund in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

I want to place it on record that the government of Akwa Ibom will have the entire Ijaw nation to contend with on this, Ijaws may be minority in Akwa Ibom but we are majority in Niger Delta, Okaba said.

He urged the state government to comply with a subsisting court judgment in favour of the Ijaw communities and jettison the idea in the interest of peace. (NAN) ()

Edited by Nick Nicholas/Vincent Obi

Source: NAN News

Governor-Elect Mohammed Umar Bago

By Mercy Osajiugo

Alhaji Umar Mohammed Bago, Niger state Governor-elect, has approved the governorship inauguration subcommittees leadership and members, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

A statement by Dr Mohammed Santuraki, Chairman of the inauguration Committee, disclosed that Bago approved the constitution and membership of nine Inauguration subcommittees.

The committees are Security, Health

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer

The Africa Youth Growth Foundation (AYGF) has conducted free medical tests and distributed over 500 treated mosquito nets to reduce the prevalence of the disease in Lugbe community of FCT-Abuja.

Speakingbat the event on Tuesday, the Executive Director of the foundation, Dr Arome Salifu, lamented that every 30 seconds, a child die from malaria that could be prevented and cured.

The theme for the 2023 World Malaria Day is: Time to deliver zero malaria: Invest, innovate and implement.

Salifu, represented by the Head of Project Delivery of AYGF, Ms Omonike Oyedele, said the foundation is making efforts to reduce the severe impact of malaria on families and communities to promote healthy living as well as enhance societal development.

Malaria is particularly devastating in Sub-Saharan Africa where it has significant social and economic consequences, she said.

The latest World Malaria Report, again confirmed the continent of Africa as home to 95 per cent of malaria cases and 96 per cent of malaria deaths.

More worrisome is that children under five years accounted for 80 per cent of the deaths caused by the malarial parasite, she said.

According to her, Nigeria accounted for 31 per cent of global malarial deaths which resulted in 191,890 lives lost annually.

This contributed to the 619,000 estimated number of malarial deaths on the continent, which carries a disproportionately high share of the global malarial burden.

While progress has been made in expanding access to malaria services for at-risk populations, too many people are still not receiving the needed services towards preventing, detecting and treating the disease.

This is compounded by various challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, conflict imposed humanitarian crises, funding gaps, weak surveillance systems, and declining effectiveness of malaria-fighting tools, she said.

According to Salifu, to address some of these challenges, the AYGF is establishing more robust malaria programmes in Katsina, Kogi and Niger States, covering over 2,000 communities.

She added that the foundations programmes has reached about one million individuals, including pregnant women and children, and still counting.

She explained that AYGFs intervention, supported by the World Bank projects Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN), has developed guidance, strategies and frameworks to enhance the transparency, flexibility and access to malaria tools.

Through these interventions, AYGF is tackling technical challenges facing malaria implementation, especially the barriers people encounter in accessing quality health services.

By bringing malaria commodities closer to where people live and work through primary healthcare centres in those communities, the cost of care is reduced and equity is enhanced.

However, the Nigerian governments approval of a new malaria vaccine from Oxford University, the R21/Matrix-M, is also commendable.

The vaccine designed to prevent malaria in children aged 5 to 36 months was manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.

We are hopeful that this vaccine and other interventions will soon make malaria a thing of the past in Africa, particularly in Nigeria.

AYGF will continue to partner with government of Nigeria and other stakeholders in enhancing quality of healthcare and deliver zero malaria through investment, innovation and implementation of people centric malaria interventions, Salifu stressed.

Responding, the Village Head of Lugbe Village, Mr Danlami Cheta, appreciated AYGF for its intervention to reduce the prevalence of malaria in his community.

It is a good programme for us that we will never forget. It is wise to bring such a programme in this community, because malaria is seriously dealing with my people.

This is as a result of the environment and that is why when I took over office last year, I have been sensitising people on the need to have a clean environment.

We thank AYGF for making us to benefit from this malaria programme of treatment of malaria and distribution of mosquito treated nets to my people.

We will be glad for this relationship between the community and AYGF continuous, and not on malaria alone, but other health interventions. We can not pay you back. It is only God that will pay you. Thank you AYGF, he said.

Meanwhile, a beneficiary, Hajiya Fatima Maina, who was tested for malaria and given mosquito net, said the intervention would go a long way to help the residents of Zhilu community in Lugbe, Abuja.

Our people are suffering from this malaria and other health challenges. The malaria is affecting us, because of the nature of our community with stagnant water everywhere.

There ares gutters everywhere and the mosquitoes are too much, especially in the heat season and the raining season that has started.

The nets are giving us free of charge will help us so much. Most of us dont have means to and cannot buy because of poverty. So the nets and malaria drugs given to us are very important.

It will be helpful to all of us in the community. We appreciate AYGF for the effort they made to get our community to benefit from this programme. Other NGOs should emulate AYGF please, Maina said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the foundation had tested and provided mosquito nets for free to over 500 residents, including sensitisation on the disease and how to use the nets. (NAN)
(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Auwalu Birnin Kudu/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Source: NAN News

By Jacinta Nwachukwu.

The National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) has engaged its case officers on nationality screening for asylum seekers to strengthen their capacity towards enhancing service delivery.

Speaking at the workshop on Wednesday in Keffi, Nasarawa State, the Federal Commissioner, NCFRMI, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim said the aim of the training was to deepen officers knowledge on the subject matter.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim said that Nigeria had about 100,000 registered refugees, adding that asylum seekers among them were undergoing the process of either achieving refugee status or returned if they declined.

According to her, the training will enhance accuracy of nationality screening for asylum seekers and refugees in the country.

The significance of this discussion cannot be over-emphasized. The Commissions Act 2022, a person can only be a refugee if he/she is outside his/her country of nationality.

Or for those who are stateless outside their country of habitual residence. Nationality screening for refugees is therefore essential in determining eligibility for refugee status, Sulaiman-Ibrahim said.

On asylum seekers, she said for them to be granted asylum, they must fulfill the stipulation of the 1951 Act of the Commission.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim explained further that they must be genuinely non Nigerians who were fleeing from persecutions.

In Nigeria some of the asylum seekers have Nigerian parents, grand or great grandparents, spouses or children. Establishing nationality of claimants with such ties may not be easy for RSD and litigation officers.

The Commission is committed to supporting measures such as this that contribute to building staff capacity and strengthening the integrity of the asylum space.

NCFRMI remains very committed to work with partners towards provision of sustainable protection and assistance as well as durable solutions for our persons of concern, including refugees, she said.

On her part, Ms Mwihaki Kinyanjui, Senior Protection Officer, United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) said that the agency would continue to support the government towards enhancing protection of refugees in the country.

We do support the Nigerian government in ensuring the standard for screening new arrivals to meet the international and national standard for the protection of refugees, Kinyanjui said. (NAN)(www.nanews.ng)

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Edited by Razak Owolabi

Source: NAN News

FEC meeting

By Ismaila Chafe

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved Action Plan 2022-2026 for the promotion and protection of human rights in Nigeria.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the weekly meeting of the council chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday in Abuja.

The plan was formulated by the stakeholders in Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government.

He said the approval followed the Buhari administrations compliance with National Human Rights Commission, (NHRC), judgement and payment of N135 million compensation to victims and family members of the Sept. 18, 2013 Apo six killings.

Malami also said the report of the committee for the protection of journalists, equally adjudging Nigeria as the only African country that has been in full compliance in terms of the protection of the rights of the journalists.

The minister said: This is taking into consideration that not a single incidence of death of a journalist has been recorded in Nigeria arising from infractions, relating thereto.

According to Malami, the policy is intended and targeted at consolidating and upscaling the Nigerian observance of the Human Rights posture in view of the successes and achievements of Nigeria as it relates to human rights under the current administration.

He said:As you will recall, the administration of Buhari has established a record of being the first and only administration in the history of Nigeria that has indeed tolerated, accommodated and enforced the decision of the Human Rights Commission.

And in this respect, talking of the Apo six, taking into consideration, the commission adjudged the government as being in breach of the human rights of certain individuals popularly referred to as Apo six, which unfortunate incidents predates the government of Buhari .

The Human Rights Commission adjudged the government liable to pay about N135 million to the family of the victims of the alleged infractions.

Malami said the Buharis administration took steps to ensure payment of the N135 million to the Apo Six in compliance with the recommendations of the National Human Rights Commission/

The minister said: Thereby giving teeth to the Human Rights Commission in terms of compliance with the recommendation, he added.

Now with those local and international successes in mind, the need has now arisen for Nigeria to indeed consolidate on the gains.

This is with the view to upscaling its provision from a local observance of the protection of the human right to international standard by way of ensuring compliance with the best practices.

According to him, the new action plan will help prove that Nigeria is working in tandem with International best practices with regards to the protection of human riights.

So, the essence of the presentation of the council memo today is to deliberate on the action plan, review it and seek approval for its conservation or presentation before the International Human Rights committee for the purpose of establishing the following:

That Nigeria is no longer operating at a local scale in terms of the observance and promotion of human rights, but indeed upscaling its international observance to international best practices as far as the human rights, promotion and protection of human rights is concerned.

I am happy to report that the council deliberated and the council approved the action plan presentation before the International Committee on Human Rights,he said.

The Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, who also spoke on the outcome of the council meeting again assured that the indigenous airline- Nigeria Air, would take off on or before May 29.

According to the minister, the infrastructure and staffers are ready and only await the final approval by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

He also assured the workers in the aviation sector that all issues relating to their agitations on minimum wage would be taken care of by relevant government agencies and ministries.

The minister further disclosed that the council approved N9billion for the procurement, installation, and inauguration of voice and data recorders in nine airports across the country.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed also disclosed that the 137kms Kano to Zaria and 73 kms Zaria to Kaduna expressways, as well as the second Niger bridge projects would be handed over to the Federal Government on May 15 for inauguration.

According to him, the 116kms Lagos to Ibadan will also be handed over to the government on April 30, while the Loko-Oweto bridge linking Nasarawa and Benue States and the Utor bridge in Delta had been completed. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Source: NAN News

By Jessica Dogo

The Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) has engaged stakeholders on the improvement of courts management reporting.

This came to the fore at a two-day workshop tagged: Monitoring and Evaluation Capacity Building Training, on Wednesday in Abuja.

The Chairman, National Programme Coordinator for the Court Admi ofre nistration Management (CACM) Project, Dr Oluwatoyin Badejogbin said there had been challenges of managing court cases efficiently and in a timely manner.

Badejogbin said the project sought to adress these challenges by helping courts and departments of public prosecutions to work more efficiently.

This, he said, was with the hope that such efficiencies can improve the output of courts and help to further decongest courts.

Badejogbin said that the organisation would look at the implementation of other interventions that would strengthen case management and help speed up cultural processes through digital recording devices.

All across courts in the country, we experience challenge of managing cases efficiently and in a timely manner.

We are looking at implementing a whole range of interventions that will not only strengthen case management, but will help to speed up courts processes through digital recording devices.

The practice has been that judges write in long hand and that contributes a whole lot of delays in cases so by introducing recording devices, we hope to bring down the delay considerably.

We also want to strengthen the capacity to manage a couple of courts very efficiently so that we dont have cases of records being lost, he said.

The Board Chairman, PPDC, Chibuzo Ekwekwo said the project was already implemented in three states, adding that new states will soon benefit from the programme.

The states themselves will also invest and take up the programme and improve its expansion across the judicial systems.

We have to help the court systems improve their manual process because without improving the manual process, digitising becomes difficult.

The next step is to deploy the infrastructure to digitise the process and have a full impact of using the new system, he said.

Mr Jibril Shittu, Chief Executive Officer of PPDC, said that the effect of the project on justice was in a way that justice would no longer be delayed but accelerated.

It is very important because we see the potential impact on the lives of the average citizens.

When we talk about efficiencies in court systems and processes, court administration scheduling in our various judicial offices and systems need to improve, he said.

Executive-Secretary, Judicial Service Commission, Nasarawa State, Yahaya Shafa said some of the challenges faced were lack of facilities in court rooms Nigeria.

This project will help us do better case management, help in acquiring evidence and all these will lead to better administration of criminal justice,he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the CACM project is a pilot that is being implemented in Kaduna, Nasarawa and Plateau States.

The project seeks to improve access to and the dispensation of justice for Nigerians, enhance citizens interaction with the government and law using transparency tools. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Source: NAN News

By Cecilia Ijuo

Mr Aliyu Tahir,Managing Director, Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency(NEMSA), has warned against importation of substandard electricity materials into Nigeria.

Tahir, who is also Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation, gave the warning at the 2023 First Quarter Interactive Session with Energy Reporters in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said the agency was collaborating with Standard Organisation of Nigeria(SON), security agencies and other stakeholders to ensure that only standard electrical materials were imported into Nigeria.

He said NEMSA had begun removing such materials across the country, adding that 68,168 substandard materials were removed in 2022.

The managing director said the agency had equally set up a tax force on monitoring and evaluation of existing networks to stem the use of substandard electrical materials.

Tahir said NEMSA would not relent in its effort to achieve its mandate, particularly in the area of substandard materials.

Four distribution companies in Abuja, Ibadan, Ikeja and Eko were monitored by the Tax Force set up by NEMSA last year.

This year, the monitoring exercise will continue to cover the six other distribution companies in Port Harcourt, Kano, Kaduna, Yola, Jos, Benin and Enugu.

The essence of this effort is to maintain stability in the existing electricity networks.

This is also to stem use of substandard materials, cables and equipment in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry(NESI), he said.

On other achievements of the agency in 2022, Tahir said 10, 876 new electrical projects were inspected, 10, 598 existing networks were monitored while 771 of them were resolved.

He further said 3, 480 factories, public places and hotels were inspected, 2, 576, 607 electricity meters tested, 2, 719 electrical personnel certified and 6, 332 certificates renewed.

According to him, the agency also inspected 647 pole manufacturers in the country, investigated 376 electrical accident sites and established first Meter Generation Museum and Gallery.

Other achievements according to him are, training of 18 electrical engineers of NEMSA on renewable energy, certification of 36 electricity meters and instruments manufacturing assembling companies.

The managing director said in furtherance of previous achievements, the agency would continue with sensitisation, certification as well as stakeholders engagement among others.

There is a planned national conference on safety which is aimed at bringing together core professionals in the power sector and security agencies.

This is to chart the way forward on how to provide and deepen NEMSAs services in areas of security, safety of lives and property in NESI,he said.

Tahir said the agency was not unmindful of concerns by electricity customers.

According to him, the problem of epileptic power supply, meter purchase by customers, fast reading meters among others were being addressed.

He commended the media for its continued support, while calling for more support, particularly in the area of awereness creation on the agencys mandate.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that NEMSA was established in 2015 to enforce technical standards and regulations.

It was also established for testing and certification of all categories of electrical installations among others.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Yakubu Uba/Isaac Aregbesola

Source: NAN News

Cross section of participants at the workshop

By Segun Giwa

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has urged youth to embrace digital learning platforms in accelerating skilling, up skilling and employment opportunities.

Mrs Blessing Ejiofor, UNICEF Communication Specialist, said this on Thursday in Lagos at a two-day workshop organised in collaboration with National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lagos Office, for young people and journalists across the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two-day workshop is tagged: Media Dialogue on Digital Learning Platforms.

Ejiofor said the programme was aimed at galvanising the media to support advocacy on digital learning solutions with a focus on bridging the digital divide, especially for girls and young people in hard-to-reach communities.

She noted that UNICEF had collaborated with governments and other partners in creating the enabling environment for skills development that would enable young people to thrive and better able to respond to the countrys social and economic needs.

Ejiofor also said that the deployment of the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP), an online offline and mobile digital learning platform that supports learning and skills acquisition for Children and youths as well as the Youth Agency Marketplace (YOMA) platform, were avenues to skill as well as connect young people to opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and social impact.

Mr Joannes Yimbesalu, UNICEF Programme Specialist, said that the workshop was an opportunity to explore, learn and share ideas on the benefits and opportunities available to young Nigerians on the NLP, YOMA and U-Report digital platforms.

Yimbesalu enjoined the media to help amplify these digital platforms to the youths.

In her remarks, the NOA Director in Lagos, Ms Adetola Adegboyega, said that the training was important due to the importance of technology in day-to-day activities.

Adegboyega who noted that journalists were also an important aspect of the training, said that they would help in disseminating information on the opportunities offered by digital learning. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Victor Adeoti/Vincent Obi

Source: NAN News

Invictus Africa and BudgIT Foundation briefing newsmen on Womanity Index a tool to track annual ranking and reports on gender equality and Gender-Based Violence (GBV)

By Justina Auta

Two Non-Government Organisations Invictus Africa and BudgIT Foundation, on Wednesday, introduced Womanity Index, a tool to track annual ranking and reports on gender equality and Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

The Executive Director of Invictus Africa, Ms Bukky Shonibare, at a news conference in Abuja, said that the index would also focus on issues affecting women, especially girl-child education, womens health, economic empowerment and political representation in Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria.

She explained that it would be carried out through field and technology-based data collection to assist state and local governments to understand the context and identify gaps, as well as challenges peculiar to each state in addressing GBV.

She said the Womanity Index is novel as it helps subnational governments, as primary duty bearers, to know their performance in their efforts to prevent and respond to GBV in their states.

It will also identify the gaps and challenges that impede their performance, and the specific actionable recommendations which, when implemented, will result in ensuring laws and policies that guarantee GBV prevention, effective support systems, and allocation of adequate budget and spending to address GBV.

It will also aid accountability by duty bearers (governments) and provide the relevant data and evidence needed by citizens to track implementation and advocate for effective GBV prevention and response, she said.

Mr Gabriel Okeowo,the Country Director, BudgIT Nigeria, said data from the research in some states would serve as reference documents on GBV to ensure state-specific recommendations.

So this first work is very important and will serve as a base line.

We will then have a basis of comparison to be able to say as at 2023 this is where this state is and as at now this is what the results is showing, he said.

Mr Folarin Johnson, the Senior Project Officer, Nigeria Governor Forum World Bank SFTAS programme, said the index would enable government measure all interventions on GBV in their various states.

According to him, it is a research and it is not just about the field data collection.

We are going to be building on some of the data that are in existence.

So the reason this partnership exist is for everybody involved to bring out what they have done in the past and it is what will form the basis of what it is. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

Source: NAN News

The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, briefing newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday

Source: NAN News

From left: Mr Thomas Etuh, Pst. Mrs Folu Adeboye and Pst. Enoch Adeboye, during the inauguration of the hospital

By Victor Adeoti

Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun have commended the Jennifer Etuh Foundation (JEF) for donating a hospital and skill acquisition centre to Ifewara community in Osun.

The duo gave the commendation on Wednesday during the inauguration of the hospital built by the foundation in memory of the late Mrs Jennifer Ramatu Etuh, wife of the Chairman of JEF, Mr Thomas Etuh.

The establishment of the hospital is part of the vision of late Mrs Jennifer Etuh to provide accessible and affordable world-class healthcare services to women and children in rural communities.

In his remarks, Adeboye thanked Etuh for siting the hospital in his hometown, adding that the late Jennifer Etuh was one of his spiritual daughters.

The cleric who noted that the late Jennifer and her husband were very dear to him, said that in spite of his intercession while she was sick, the Lord decided to call her home.

Adeboye called for prayers for the family of the Etuhs, admonishing people to contribute their quota to improving the society and helping the people around them.

Also speaking, Adeleke appreciated the foundation for building the health facility in the state.

He said that his government would continue to prioritise the welfare of the people of the state.

The governor said his administration had provided free medical care to over 25,000 residents of the state under the Imole Free Sugical and Medical Outreach.

In his remarks, Etuh said his wife gave clear instructions on what should be done with her investments following her health challenges, before her demise.

He said the late wifes instruction gave birth to the medical centre.

Before her demise, considering what she was going through, Jennifer gave clear instructions on what was to be done with her investments and this was to ensure others do not experience what she unfortunately passed through.

It was the burden she carried before her demise that gave birth to the blessing, now known as the Jennifer Etuh Foundation (JEF).

By the special grace of God, we are here today inaugurating a new hospital in the home town of her spiritual parents, Pastor and Mrs Enoch and Folu Adeboye, he said.

Etuh noted that two similar medical centres on the instruction of his late wife, had been built and inaugurated in Odu (Kogi State) and Kagoro (Kaduna State).

He said the foundation intended to build two more hospitals.

Etuh disclosed that the foundation would soon inaugurate another hospital in Gombe State. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Emmanuel Afonne/Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Source: NAN News

Participants at the training on digital learning platforms organised by UNICEF and NOA for journalists and selected youths

By Segun Giwa

United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with National Orientation Agency (NOA), on Wednesday in Lagos, commenced training of selected youths and journalists in the South-West zone on digital learning platforms.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two-day training is tagged: Media Dialogue on Digital Learning Platforms.

In her opening remarks, UNICEF Communication Specialist, Mrs Blessing Ejiofor, said that the programme was aimed at exposing youths to the advantages of digital learning platforms.

Ejiofor said that the media were also involved to do the advocacy on the digital learning platforms and give the platforms necessary publicity.

According to her, embracing the digital learning platforms by the youth will reduce unemployment and crimes in the country.

Ejiofor said that the primary purpose of the dialogue was to understand the various digital platforms and how young people could make use of them positively.

The UNICEF communication specialist also said that the training would expose the youth to how to write their curriculum vitae, where to submit job applications and how to make use of digital platforms for wealth creation, among others.

We brought many experts to this programme to help us know more about digital learning platforms of both the private and government organisations, she said.

In her remarks, the NOA Director in Lagos, Ms Adetola Adegboyega, said that the training was important due to the importance of technology in day-to-day activities.

Adegboyega, who noted that journalists were also an important aspect of the training, said that they would help in disseminating information on the opportunities offered by digital learning.

Also speaking, UNICEF Programme Specialist, Mr Joannes Yimbesalu, said that the programme was an opportunity to explore, learn and share ideas on digital learning.

In her presentation, Head of Communication, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), Ms Taiye Tunkarimu, said that the agency was saddled with creating employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for all Lagos residents.

Tunkarimu said that the agency was also working toward reducing unemployment and crimes in the state.

She stated that the agency had trained no fewer than 16,000 youths on digital literacy, tech talent drive and vocational skills, among others. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Victor Adeoti and Wale Sadeeq

Source: NAN News

By Reporters

Some residents of Abuja and its environs have expressed fear over the looming flood as a result of poor environmental and sanitation practices.

The residents, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that rainy seasons had been a difficult period for them as floods always submerge their belongings.

Mr Jacob Idris, a resident of Nyanya, said that the community had been battling with flood every rainy season even after clearing the drainages around them.

He said until the bridge and the road are reconstructed and a bigger ring is fixed; they may not get out of the problem.

We dont have the financial strength to construct a bigger bridge and a better road thats why we are appealing to the government to come to our aid.

We have lost millions of naira worth of goods and property to flood in this area and we are afraid that if nothing is done this year, property or even lives may be lost to flood.

We have started seeing signs that it will rain heavily this year, since the first rain had caused serious flooding he said.

Mrs Amaka Ukachukwu, a resident of Mararaba, Nasarawa State, said to prevent a recurrence of flood this year, the public needed to be sensitised to desist from dumping refuse on water channels.

We need to sensitise residents to the danger of dumping refuse on waterways and major channels.

Now that the rains are coming, we appeal to the government to be prepared and assist us on time.

Some of us are poor, we should be relocated to camps as usual, so we are calling for early preparation in case such occurrences happened, she said.

Mr Abdullahi Sanwo, a resident of Ado, Nasarawa State appealed to residents to avoid blocking waterways with refuse.

He said that a simple environment friendly rule of cleaning the waterways should be adhered to.

We do not want to witness flooding this year in our community; we are educating our people on the need to keep the drainages free of refuse.

Aside that, we use the media houses to educate the public to clear their drainages and to cut the weeds on the waterways, he said.

Mrs Josephine Paul, a resident of Mpape, a suburb of Abuja, said that a committee has been constituted in her area to monitor residents to ensure proper disposal of waste .

Paul said that waste bins are provided by the government, so residents are been monitored to ensure the proper use of the waste bins

We had an agreement to contribute the sum of N100, 000 to hire labourers that will assist in clearing the drains and the weeds around our premises, he said.

Mr Isaac Dogo, a resident of Garki advised residents against blocking of drains, adding that nature would fight back and the result is flood.

I urged the government to take precaution against the impending doom, he said

He appealed to the government to take a lasting solution to address the issue of flooding in the country in general.

NAN reports that the Director-General of Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Prof. Mansur Matazu, says that rainfall is predicted to be earlier than the long-term average in most parts of the country.

NAN also reports that in 2023, although NiMet forecast had predicted a largely normal rainfall pattern, it also indicated a high possibility of flash floods in some states.

Matazu said there was likely to be elevated dry spell in some states of the north with potential adverse impact on planted crops.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Joseph Edeh

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuella Anokam

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) says it has so far spent over 1.1 billion dollars on the ongoing construction of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline and Station project from its cash-flow.

The NNPC Limited GCEO, Malam Mele Kyari said this on Monday while touring some of its project sites in Kogi, with newsmen and other stakeholders.

Kyari was accompanied by some top officials of the NNPC Limited and Oilserv Limited, (Pipelines and Facilities), the contractor of the project.

Kyari said the company would continue to fund the massive project which it was delivering in phases and has been active even though it did not have third party finance for the project.

So far, NNPC Ltd has funded over 1.1billion dollars on the project and to date none of the project activities is abandoned as reported and we reassure all stakeholders that we have a line of sight to project delivery on schedule.

NNPC Limited remains highly committed towards the delivery of strategic National infrastructure projects through responsive project delivery, active collaboration with government security agencies and communities as well as deployment of technology for delivering the project.

This is is one of the most massive projects of proportion value to our country for economic growth. It is a must-deliver project and we have continued to fund in spite of not having third party finance support, we will deliver this project.

We do not owe a dollar to our contractors, there are over 30 sites that are active today in this project, we are very hopeful and optimistic to deliver this project, he assured.

The GCEO decried the fact that due to insecurity, it had lost some site workers thereby expressed sadness over thier demise and consoled their families whom he said the company shared in their grief.

He said 70 per cent of the welding work had been completed adding that once welding was completed, it could actually flow gas through the pipeline.

He said on completion the pipeline would deliver two billon cubic feet of gas, powering industries, powering power plants and creating gas based industries.

He said the entire welding work would be completed by the third quarter of 2023 then it would actually energise the pipeline.

Kyari further said that the gas pipeline was projected to support power plants with a total of 3,645 Mega Watts, adding that it would soon begin constrution of Abuja- Kaduna power plants in ernest.

Earlier, Mr Steve Nnorom, Project Manager, Oilserv Ltd explained that there were three schematic of the pipeline and station installations which included Brovo, Chalie and Alpha spread segment, that showed progress of the project.

He said they were currently doing full auto welding, completed 73 per cent of its mainland welding works and had done 222 kilo metres remaining 27 kilo metres of welding work to complete.

We are crossing rivers, railway, existing pipelines. We have other sites where various work activities are ongoing, our target is that concurrently all works will be going on at different spread, he said

Nnorom, while noting that the project has been active and fully financed said that it has purely 100 per cent Nigerian workers. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

Source: NAN News

By Mateen Badru

A Non-Governmental Organisation, Triumphant Foundation, on Sunday in Lagos empowered 100 people with new skills and supported them with grants.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the beneficiaries included women, widows and youths, who were trained in tie and dye, making of pastries, soap, air fresheners and cement.

The participants were part of a three-day skills acquisition programme organised by the NGO.

The Founder, Mr Patrick Tinka, commended the turnout of participants and said there was hope for the future of the country, seeing that people were still interested in personal development.

He urged the participants to take advantage of the skills they had acquired as it was a rare opportunity that should be cherished.

In the past, we had embarked on skills acquisition but never had we made it this elaborate by delving into empowerment.

The reason for this is because in the last five to six months, a lot of transformational events occurred in the country.

Events like the Naira redesign, cash crunch and fuel hike, among others, of which widows and orphans were mostly affected.

Who cared for them, who checked up on them, who saw the need to alleviate their sufferings? These are the questions that come to mind.

If they are empowered, if they are given an opportunity to fend for themselves and their immediate families, life would be easier, crimes will reduce tremendously and poverty will be at its barest minimum.

Nigeria is blessed with rich resources and our human capital is one of them, that is why you are here today, he said.

He urged the participants to take the trainings very seriously and remain focused on the goals and the reasons for the training.

Tinka said the training was free but charged the participants to approach it as though it was being paid for.

He advised the participants never to look down on themselves but to only forge ahead as this was the only way they could achieve their goals.

Never think that you are not enough to be self reliant or to be great in life, push and you will win.

I hope and pray that this will be the beginning of greater things to come, he said.

A participant, Mrs Grace Taiwo, a widow, expressed appreciation for having the opportunity to take part in the skills acquisition programme.

She commended the organisers and prayed for continuity to enable other people benefit from the initiative.

Another participant, Onaolapo Oladoja, said it was a special day for him, having been opportuned to participate in the peogramme as a form of enlightenment.

This has enlightened me in some aspects of life and opened the eyes of many youths like me to see that there is need for hard work.

There is also need for creativity and the need to do something great, especially with our talents, to make our country better, he said.

He further commended the organisers for a job well done, adding that he was overwhelmed with the love and hospitality shown by the organisers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 10 participants who showed more commitment and passion, were given a token of N10,000 as start-up capital.

Meanwhile, mechanisms were put in place to monitor and ensure that the monetary assistance was channeled to the purpose for which it was given. (NAN)

Edited by Wandoo Sombo/Idris Abdulrahman

Source: NAN News

By Justina Auta

The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) says it is intensifying antipiracy drive and enforcing stiffer penalties for copyrights infringement and abuse of all literary works in the country.

Dr John Asein, the Director-General, NCC, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja in commemoration of the World Book and Copyright Day, celebrated every April 23.

Asien, while lamenting over the cases of piracy in the country, added that the new Copyright Act 2022, will improve authors rights and address the challenges of digital transmission and online exploitation of works.

To guarantee adequate return on intellectual and financial investment in all creative sectors, the Commission is intensifying its proactive enforcement initiatives as well as enhancing the collective management of rights.

Working with various stakeholders and relevant agencies, the Commission has commenced a series of public education and enlightenment campaigns as a prelude to the full scale national antipiracy drive.

With the stiffer penalties available in the new Act for criminal infractions, the public is therefore advised to desist from all forms of copyright infringements and abuses, he said.

He also called on authors and other stakeholders to join the commission in telling the copyright story and drawing attention to the ills of piracy and other copyright abuses.

He stressed the need to recognise linguistic diversity and the importance of preserving, promoting and encouraging the use of indigenous languages in literature and other creative works in line with 2023 theme, Indigenous Languages!

Together, let us, in our literature, music, performances and movies explore alternative languages and give voice to indigenous communities, he said.

He explained further that with the over 600 indigenous languages in the country, Nigeria has a lot to offer to the world through its indigenous languages and the associated knowledge.

The NCC boss said they had consulted with relevant stakeholders to formulate the needed Regulations and Guidelines for the implementation of the provisions of the Act on the protection of expressions of folklore. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Source: NAN News