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Tag: Federal government

  • FG to begin Ogoniland clean-up in August – HYPREP

    The Federal Government is to begin the remediation phase of oil impacted sites in Ogoniland in August, Dr Marvin Dekil, the Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution and Remediation Project (HYPREP), has said.

    Dekil made the disclosure on the sidelines of a medical outreach organised by HYPREP in Nonwa-Tai, Rivers, on Friday.

    He said that government had begun placing advertisement in national and international newspapers inviting contractors to apply for remediation of 26 hydrocarbon impacted sites in Ogoniland.

    According to him, the invitation is open to both local and foreign companies with requisite expertise and experience in the business.

    “The delay in the take-off of the clean-up was as a result of contracting process as enshrined in the Procurement Act that is procedural.

    “The exercise will involve all the processes that we have put in place right from inception of the project coordination office in March 2017.

    “Already, invitation for pre-qualification of contractors has been sent to local and foreign concerns. The remediation will be done only by experienced and best hands, both locally and internationally.

    “We believe that engaging the best hands will enable us achieve the desired result of restoring the environment back to an acceptable standard,” he said.

    Dekil added that advertisement had also been made for the reconstruction of existing water facilities and construction of gas facilities in the affected communities.

    He said HYPREP had earlier invited companies to the impacted sites to demonstrate their expertise, technology and suitability for the clean-up.

    The HYPREP boss pointed out that the demonstration exercise by the local and foreign companies was at no cost to government.

    “We did not pay the companies or offer advantage to any of them that participated in the exercise. The demonstration exercise is for them to show their capacity.

    “We are now in the contracting process where companies would be selected from those that participated in the demonstration exercise and those that did not.

    “At the end, we will choose the best companies for the remediation,” he said.

    Dekil added that HYPREP was targeting to treat about 20,000 indigent Ogonis of different ailment in the second phase of its medical outreach  in four local government areas.

    He also said that 100 surgeries would be performed on victims of hydrocarbon pollution in Ogoniland in line with the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme  Report.

    Ogoniland is made up of four local government areas consisting of Eleme, Gokana, Khana and Tai.

     

  • FG threatens striking health workers, says return to work now

    The Federal Government said last night that the indefinite strike action embarked upon by health workers under the auspices of the Joint Health Sector Unions was unjustified, threatening to invoke the relevant labour laws in dealing with the striking workers if they fail to return to their duty post.

    In a statement signed by the Director of Press in the Ministry, Samuel Olowokore said the government was surprised that the workers embarked strike despite the government keeping faith with the terms of agreement signed between the unions and the government.

    While appealing to the workers to consider the plight of sick Nigerians and return to work, the statement said the government would not fold its hands and watch innocent Nigerians subjected to untold hardship.

    It said that the decision of the health workers to embark on strike was surprising saying “it is surprised that many of the Health Workers Unions operating under the joint group, the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) embarked on another round of nationwide strike despite government’s demonstrable commitment to the implementation of the agreement reached with it since their last strike of 20thSeptember 2017.

    ‘At a period the Federal Government is faithfully managing lean resources to ensure industrial harmony in all sectors, a measure of patriotism is expected of all labour unions to enable government have an equable social and very good labour milieu in which workers could be assured of security of employment.

    “It is on record that government has met almost all the demands of these unions on issues such as the payment of promotion arrears, salary shortfalls among others as per the agreement reached on September 30th2017.”

    “The Federal Government therefore wishes to appeal to JOHESU to reconsider its position in view of the immeasurable consequences of its action on sick patients in hospitals across the nation.”

    “While the Federal Government restates its commitment to the implementation of the Terms of Settlement reached with JOHESU, it shall not however fail in its sacred responsibility of protecting the lives of the numerous patients in all public health institutions where this group of health workers have unjustifiably withdrawn their services.

    “If this group of health workers persist on continuing this strike, Government will be forced to invoke the provisions of the relevant labour laws, especially Section 43 of the Trade Dispute Act, Cap.T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004 as well as the International Labour Organisation (ILO) principles concerning employers rights over strikes in essential services sector,” the statement concluded.

    Read Also: JOHESU Strike: Health workers shut down UCH

  • $2.1b arms cash: I never collected money from anywhere – Secondus

    …Challenges FG to publish voucher, says we will meet in court

    The National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus Tuesday denied collecting N250million out of the $2.1billion arms cash allegedly squandered by the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA).

    He challenged the Federal Government to publish the voucher(s) which he allegedly signed to collect the purported arms cash.

    He said it was unfortunate that Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which was founded and nurtured by PDP administration to tackle the issue of corruption in the system, had to turn itself into a pawn in the hand of APC.

    But he was silent on alleged 54 vehicles purportedly bought for him from the proceeds of Strategic Alliance Agreement between Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Nigeria Limited and the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).

    Secondus, who bared his mind in a statement through his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Ike Abonyi, said the Federal Government and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were desperate to frame him up.

    The statement said: “The attention of the media office of the National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus has been drawn to the desperation of the Federal Government and its ruling, All Progressives Congress (APC) to frame him up with some blatant fabrications ostensibly to distract him from carrying out his responsibility of rebuilding his party.

    “The National Chairman would ordinarily not want to join issues with the government on a matter already in court but noted regrettably that the administration has great contempt for the court and the rule of law and has instead chosen to use blackmail and media persecution to defame and discredit their enemies. A gimmick Prince Secondus said has failed because Nigerians have come to know the antics of the drowning government.

    “The Federal Government and its agency in their desperation to forge documents and defame him, forgot to reconcile their lies; the Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji. Lai Mohammad and the EFCC couldn’t agree on the date of the purported money collection and whether it was collected by him Secondus or by a faceless fictional Chukwura that has no surname.

    “While they may have embarked on a wide search since 2015 for the surname of the so called aide of the National Chairman, Alhaji Mohammed claimed in his press conference on Good Friday March 29th, 2018 that Secondus collected the money on 19th of February, 2015, EFCC on their part on April 16th, 2018, eighteen days after said the money was collected on February 9th, 2015 and in another version still quoting the same EFCC claimed February 2, 2015.

    Secondus said he will not succumb to blackmail and intimidation on his mission to reform the PDP.

    He said it was sad that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, which was founded and nurtured by PDP administration to tackle the issue of corruption in the system, had to turn itself into a pawn in the hand of APC.

    The statement added: “Secondus restated his earlier declaration that nothing, not even the blackmail and intimidation lined up against the opposition by the Federal Government would be enough to stop him from carrying out the reform of his party, the PDP, as the programme is aimed at repositioning the party with a view to rescuing Nigeria from the disaster called APC administration.

    “Prince Secondus described as unfortunate and tragic the fact that anti-corruption agency like EFCC founded and nurtured by PDP administration to tackle the issue of corruption in the system had to turn itself into a pawn in the hand of APC administration to witch hunt and harass perceived enemies of government just to impress and keep job.

    He challenged the government and any agency that have anything against him that just cropped up because he is trying to rebrand his party to bring such evidence to the court and stop character assassination in the media.

    The statement said: “There’s no need to be talking about a case pending in court in the newspapers.  If the government has anything to say, they should file it before the court as demanded.”

    “The National Chairman’s office is aware of a grand design by the government to stop at anything to tarnish his image. But he said that the move would fail.”

    Secondus asked the Federal Government to release any evidence linking him with the purported collection of N250million from the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA).

    The statement said: “He (Secondus) challenged the government to come out with the vouchers with which he was said to have signed, adding that such signature would also be subjected to forensic analysis.

    “I never collected any money from anywhere. I didn’t ask anyone to collect money for me as well and I didn’t sign any voucher to collect any money.

    “It is pure blackmail which will never work. If they are cooking up anything, with the aim of blackmailing me, it will fail. I know that the task of uprooting this non-performing government would be horrendous. But God is always on the side of the people.

    “I can understand the frustration of a party that enjoyed enormous goodwill from Nigerians three years ago but got it squandered with its ‘nepotic’ and insensitive administration.

    “No amount of cheap blackmail and treachery will return the APC from the exit gate where Nigerians already pushed them to, awaiting 2019.

    “The departure date for the APC has already been announced and the flight schedule would not be cancelled, because Nigerians cannot wait to see them off.

    “Finally, the media office of the National chairman said that they are not oblivious of the fact that this government does not believe in court because they see rule of law as antithetical to their own agenda and understanding of democracy but noted emphatically, that truth must prevail over lies and propaganda especially as the populace have cried out to God for a rescue.”

    Read Also: Secondus gives Lai Mohammad 48 hours to retract statement

  • Big row over looters list

    A row broke out yesterday over the updated “list of looters” released at the weekend by the Federal Government.

    Some lawyers and some of those on the list took on the government, but Lagos lawyer Festus Keyamo (SAN) said the listing of “looters” was in order.

    Minister of Information Lai Mohammed issued the list of “28 looters” in two instalments, after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenged the government to name those who looted the treasury when the party was in power.

    On the list are ex-ministers, ex-governors, senators, former party leaders and campaign chiefs, among others.

    Chief Ferdinand Orbih (SAN) described the list as “danger to democracy and the rule of law”. He is opposed to the release of names of those who are still in court as looters.

    He said: “Such persons are presumed innocent until proven otherwise by the Constitution, which the President swore to uphold.

    “The case against Nenadi Usman is pending in court. The Federal Government that has labelled her as a looter of public funds is yet to prove the allegations against her in court.

    “The government, by taking this matter to the court of public opinion, is making a strong statement –  either that it has no confidence in the process it initiated in court or it is calculated to arm-twist the judiciary to convict her at all costs.”

    “Either way, the publication by the government portends grave danger to democracy and the rule of law. Surely, there will be a legal response to this Executive gross misbehavior,” added Orbih.

    But Keyamo said: “If you have the facts at your disposal that somebody is a thief, and you know your facts are unassailable, you can go ahead and name the person as a thief. The person does not need to be convicted before you, based on the facts, can name the person as a thief. But this is so long as you have your unassailable facts that you can present at the appropriate time to defend yourself if you are sued for defamation.”

    Keyamo explained that the government may also be in the process of charging those on the list who are not under trial.

    He said: “Even those who have not been charged to court, the Federal Government may be in the process of charging them. It may be in the process of drafting charges and arraigning them. So long as they have their unassailable facts, there is nothing wrong with the Federal Government naming whoever it wants to name based on the facts at its disposal. “

    Keyamo also encouraged aggrieved persons to sue, saying: “It is left to the person to go to court. Going to court is not a threat to anyone. It is a welcome development. A welcome development because it is even in court that the Federal Government will have the opportunity to lay bare the facts.

    “So, we must encourage the PDP members who were named to go to court. If they don’t want to go to court, we must beg them to do so. That is where all the facts will be laid bare.”

    Former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu said he did not loot the treasury during his eight-year tenure. He threatened to challenge the allegation in court.

    In a statement in Minna yesterday, he said: “ I wonder why the Federal Government should include my name in the 24 treasury looters’ list released again by the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.’’

    The former governor said nobody had confronted him with any document that he received N1.6 billion from the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki. He urged the government to prove its allegation.

    Aliyu alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) was doing everything possible to blackmail him because he refused to join the party.

    “The APC government has embarked on calculated blackmail against my person because I refused to join the party.

    “We all have our minds and what we believe in politics is a thing of the mind.

    “In the orchestrated plot to tarnish my image, I am presently before the Federal High Court and a Niger High Court for the same alleged offence.

    “This is to show that the government is hell bent on bringing me down but they will not succeed.

    ”As a governor, I left a landmark for posterity; no amount of blackmail or character assassination can wipe me out from the minds of the people,’’ he said.

    Former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayoede, in a statement, said he was innocent, adding that the N860 million he collected to run the media campaign for former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 was not from the government’s purse.

    He said: “I did not receive and neither was I ever given one kobo by any government official, government agency or government parastatal during President Goodluck Jonathan’s tenure.

    “The money that I received  was given to me by the Director of Finance of the Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Mrs. Esther Nenadi Usman, before the election in 2015 and it was specifically for the conduct of the presidential election.

    “I was Director of Media and Publicity of the Campaign Organisation and it was used specifically and solely for the running and conducting of the media and publicity aspect of the election.

    “Mrs. Usman, who was Minister of Finance during the Obasanjo government,  was neither a member of the Jonathan government and neither did she manage, handle or touch any government funds in her capacity as Director of Finance of the Jonathan campaign.

    “The money she made available to me came from a private company account which was used to house contributions made to the Jonathan campaign by party supporters after a series of fundraising event.

    “These were private funds and not public funds and neither can anyone expect us to have run an election in 2015 without any money. You do not run election campaigns with sand but with money.

    “It is common knowledge that the Buhari campaign in 2015 was funded by moneys that can be traced directly to the state governments of Rivers State, Lagos State, Kano State, Ogun State and a number of other key APC states, yet not one of those involved or that governed any of those states at the time have been questioned, arrested or prosecuted by the EFCC or the Federal Government.

    “From the foregoing, it is clear that the Buhari administration’s so-called war against corruption is selective and punitive and it is nothing but a vicious media trial and politically-motivated witch-hunt.

    “It is nothing but a squalid and mafia-like attempt to muscle, discredit, demonise and silence key members of the opposition. It is slanderous, malicious and unjust.

    “Not only is this a violation of the constitutional provision that says that an accused person is deemed innocent until they are proved guilty by a duly constituted court of law, but it is also highly prejudicial to the criminal cases that they are or may be facing.

    “Apart from that, it is a crude and sordid attempt to intimidate the judges and influence the outcome of the cases which are before them and also to compel them to give the judgement that the government wants. This is not only unacceptable but it is also shameful.

    “It is a clear violation of the concept of separation of powers, which gives the judiciary alone the power to determine the guilt or otherwise of an accused person.

    “It is trite law that only a court of law can declare a man guilty or declare him a thief or a looter and not Buhari and his government.

    “You cannot be the investigator, accuser, prosecutor and judge in your own case. This is a basic principle of criminal and constitutional law which appears to have been lost on President Buhari and his cohorts.

    “I also deny all the charges that have been levelled against me by the EFCC,  I hereby restate my innocence and I shall continue to vigorously defend myself and my good family name in the court of law.

    “I have no doubt that in the end my innocence will speak for me. God will vindicate me and He will expose my accusers for the heartless monsters that they really are.”

    A former federal Permanent Secretary, Godknows Igali, alleged that his name was “smuggled” into the list of looters.

    Igali, who is alleged to have looted N7billion, wrote on his Facebook page: “On account of my background, I am normally taciturn, but I cannot keep silent against such weighty unfounded allegation.

    “Not surprisingly, my name was smuggled into the list, against a whopping ‘loot’ of N7 billion. I understand Godknows Igali was dragged in last minute to create the needed effect. After all, he’s one of Jonathan’s main men.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, this is totally false, as no amount whatsoever has been recovered from me or traced to me. Indeed, N7billion recovered from which accounts, which banks and when?

    “My life has been an open book of distinguished public service in diplomatic service, scholarship and administration. In all places where I had served, the records are there for all to see. I continue to stand tall and remain undaunted. I am of modest background and very simple lifestyle. I am extremely contented and awesomely grateful to God.”

    The former permanent secretary lamented that it was the third time the government had hit the headlines with such “negative news” about him since 2016.

    “Coincidentally, all the three occasions were during festive periods. Most prominent is the tale of 45 SUVs supposedly found in my compound, which everyone now knows was a fabrication and fake news,” he said.

    “It is now common knowledge that the vehicles in question were leftovers from the erstwhile Jonathan-Sambo campaign bought with a bank loan and confiscated from the premises of a known business concern that is not connected whatsoever with me. The loan is now being recovered forcefully and perhaps being termed a ‘loot’.

    “With former President Goodluck Jonathan’s loss of the election and peaceful exit from office in 2015, I knew that some of us close to him, especially me, will suffer and carry lots of crosses. So, they have continued to pursue without relenting. Yes, some of us are victims and scapegoats. It’s all unfair and ungodly! But then, these and many more afflictions will come like floods and pass. There is nothing new under the sun. So it is well, indeed!”

     

    WHO SAID WHAT

    If you have the facts at your disposal that somebody is a thief, and you know your facts are unassailable, you can go ahead and name the person as a thief. The person does not need to be convicted before you…   —Keyamo

     

    The APC government has embarked on calculated blackmail against my person because I refused to join the party. We all have our minds and what we believe in politics is a thing of the mind   —Aliyu

     

    The money that I received was given to me by the Director of Finance of the Jonathan Campaign Organisation… before the election in 2015 and it was specifically for the conduct of the presidential election. —Fani-Kayode

  • Buhari presiding over most corrupt govt in history – Fayose

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has faulted the list of alleged looters unveiled by the Federal Government which he described as “concocted and afterthought to cover the shame of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

    Fayose alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari was presiding over “the most corrupt government in the history of Nigeria and protecting looters of the country’s commonwealth.”

    The Ekiti governor likened Buhari to a father who is protecting his children that are armed robbers but calling on security agents to arrest children of his neighbour for stealing meats from their mother’s pot,

    Fayose in a statement on Monday by his Special Assistant on Public Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka, insisted that the administration Buhari presides over lacks the moral justification to call some people “looters” alleging that his (Buhari’s) presidential nomination form was procured with looted cash.

    He reiterated that Nigerians were more interested in their welfare, security of their lives and physical development of the country than tales of concocted lists of corrupt Nigerians, who are only corrupt in the estimation of the government because they do not belong to the APC.

    Fayose said: “With the Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, saying that corruption has become more endemic in Nigeria than it was in the last 16 years.

    “With the country moving 12 places below its rating, a honourable government would have stopped using fight against corruption as its major achievement and releasing names of people that are still under trial as looters just to cover up its failure.

    “The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) never pretended to Nigerians that it had corrupt people in its fold and the party never protected them. Today, the party has gone ahead to offload the corrupt elements into the APC and they were not only accepted gladly into the party, they were given prominent appointments by the President.”

    “For any lists of alleged looters to be credible, the President, who is protecting looters should be number one while those looters in his government should follow.

    “His nomination form was bought with proceeds of corruption and those who bought the form and financed his election were paid back with the return of all their seized properties, ministerial appointments and even disappearance of prosecution witnesses in EFCC cases.

    “A government that reinstated and promoted Abdullahi Maina, who was declared wanted for corrupt practices by the International Police Organisation, (INTERPOL) and dismissed in 2013 for alleged N2.1 billion pension fraud and used APC broom to sweep the $25 billion contracts scam in the NNPC under the carpet is nothing but a government of plunderers and that is the clear definition of Buhari’s government.

    “It was in this same government that the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole suspended the National Health Insurance Scheme Executive Secretary, Professor Usman Yusuf for alleged corruption and the President recalled him even without the knowledge of the Minister.

    “Up till today, nothing has happened to the probe panel on the allegedN500 million bribery said to have been paid to the President’s Chief of Staff (COS), Abba Kyari by officials of MTN to influence government to discontinue its heavy stance on the $5 billion fine imposed on the company.

    “Therefore, no matter how hard they try now, they can no longer hoodwink Nigerians with their deceit of fight against corruption. Even APC Senator, Shehu Sani once said that the President uses insecticide to fight corruption involving his perceived political opponents, but use deodorant when it comes it affects his own men.”

    Read Also: PDP replies APC, lists cases of alleged looting under Buhari

  • Looters: FG plots to arm twist judiciary, says Orbih

    A Benin based legal practitioner, Ferdinand Orbih, has accused the federal government of plotting to arm twist the judiciary by labeling people as looters of public fund.

    Orbih said the publication of the supposed looters was a strong statement from the FG that it either has no confidence in the process initiated in court or it is calculated to arm twist the judiciary to get conviction at all costs.

    In a press statement issued to newsmen in Benin City, Orbih said it was irresponsible for the Federal Government to label as looters, persons who are undergoing trial over corruption allegations.

    Orbih stated that such persons were presumed innocent until proven otherwise, by the Constitution the President swore to uphold.

    According to the statement, “It does appear that the Federal Government does not understand what the rule of law entails or the dynamics of due process. The case against Nenadi Usman is still pending in court. The Federal Government that has labelled her as a looter of public funds is yet to prove the allegations against her in court.

    “The publication by the government portends grave danger to democracy and the rule of law. Surely, there will be a legal response to this Executive gross misbehaviour.”

    Read Also: Looters list should cut across parties,says ex-ICPC Chairman

  • FG conducts training for state disease surveillance officers

    As part of the efforts at detecting and curbing outbreaks of diseases in the country, the Federal Government has conducted training programmes for state disease vector surveillance officers.

    The training which is an inaugural one was conducted by the National Arbovirus and Vectors Research Centre (NAVRC).

    NAVRC is the research unit of the Federal Ministry of Health, with the mandate to conduct field disease vector surveillance and control throughout Nigeria. The work of the centre provides valuable information for effective response to and control of arthropod borne viral infections like Yellow fever and other important endemic vector borne diseases like malaria.

    In a statement by the centre, the training is aimed at providing skill for state manpower for active surveillance of vectors of diseases of public health importance in Nigeria.

    The statement which was signed by the Coordinator of the centre Dr. Emeka Asadu states that the immediate aim of the centre is to bring about a sustained nationwide active surveillance of infectious disease vectors  starting in three states; Benue, Nasarawa and Niger.

    The Centre plan to reach a total of 6 additional states by the end of 2018 and 24 States by December 2019.

    Asadu stressed that active surveillance of disease vectors will serve as an early warning system that will enable other responsible agencies of government and NGOs to take preemptive action to forestall the outbreak of serious infectious diseases like Yellow fever.

    He also explained that information obtained from routine vector surveillance will support ongoing efforts to control and eliminate endemic vector borne diseases like malaria.

    The coordinator also described the approach deployed by the Centre as unique as it seeks to hand over full responsibility for managing and leading disease vector surveillance to the States.

    He however noted that in the new approach, NAVRC will be playing the peripheral and non-intrusive role of providing technical and logistical support for effective coordination of field vector surveillance and monitoring.

    Dr. Asadu also commended the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole for the support given to the Centre.

    Read Also: FAAC: Fed Govt, states, local govts share N647.39b

  • Obaseki urges tougher measures against slavery on victims

    The Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has urged world leaders to strengthen existing laws and policies against all forms of slavery, to uphold the dignity of the human being.

    Obaseki made the call in commemoration of the United Nations International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, marked on March 25 each year.

    He decried the reappearance of slavery in Libya and other parts of the world, several decades after it was abolished, and hailed the efforts of the Benin Monarch, His Royal Majesty, Omo N’ Oba N’Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, at bringing an end to human trafficking in the state.

    “Since the intervention by Oba Ewuare II, we have received positive feedbacks from the camps of the human traffickers in Europe and other parts of the world. They have been rattled and many of them have given up the inhuman trade for decent lifestyles, knowing the weight of the royal pronouncements.”

    The governor assured that “with the extensive and speedy work that have been done by the Edo State House of Assembly on the ‘Bill to Prohibit Trafficking in Persons and Establish the Edo State Taskforce Against Trafficking in Persons’,  the stage is set for an all out war against human traffickers and their collaborators.”

    He said the Bill, when signed into law, will strengthen existing Federal Government laws and agencies in tackling human trafficking.

    Obaseki noted that the United Nations International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, should remind everyone of the millions of lives that were lost; namely women, children and young men.

    “We must never go that route again. In Edo State, we have lost thousands of our young men and women to illegal migration and human trafficking and this is unacceptable.

    “My administration is committed to a new order that will engage our productive youths in dignifying and rewarding economic ventures that earn them decent wages,” he added.

    According to the United Nations, “for over 400 years, more than 15 million men, women and children were the victims of the tragic transatlantic slave trade, one of the darkest chapters in human history.

    “Every year on March 25, the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade offers the opportunity to honour and remember those who suffered and died at the hands of the brutal slavery system. The International Day also aims to raise awareness about the dangers of racism and prejudice today.”

    In order to more permanently honour the victims, a memorial has been erected at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

    An exhibition titled “Remember Slavery: Say It Loud” has been on display since March 5, in the Visitors Lobby at United Nations Headquarters New York.

    The exhibit is organised as part of the commemoration of the 2018 International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, under the theme “Remember Slavery: Triumphs and Struggles for Freedom and Equality”.

    “The theme celebrates the gains of people of African descent from slavery to present. It also acknowledges the challenges that have been overcome in the movement towards freedom and equality in all professions” the UN said.

    Read Also: Obaseki signs Edo Criminal Justice Administration Bill into Law

  • Dapchi Girls: NUT urges FG to provide adequate security in schools

    The Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT has called on the Federal Government to provide adequate security to boarding-schools, especially those in the North-East or run them as day schools.

    Dr Mike Ike-Ene, Secretary-General of the union, made the call in an interview with our reporter on Friday in Abuja, while reacting to the recent release of some abducted Dapchi girls.

    According to him, it is necessary for the government to put the right security measures in place and not to wait until something happens; the life of any Nigerian child is not worth losing carelessly.

    He said that the incidence was a lesson to everyone, urging the government to strengthen the security apparatus of the country to prevent future occurrence.

    “I am saying that government should look at our security apparatus; if they cannot ensure 24 hours service of security in our schools in the North-east let them stop boarding schools.

    “Children can come to school from their homes and the moment the students are in the school premises security should be provided until the school closes.

    “The security agencies should also be placed in all the entrance by which people can use to enter the host communities or escape.

    “There must be a proper structure provided for a particular security agency at the security posts.

    “Also, having a particular security agency to be in charge of a particular security post in various schools will help to detect when things are going wrong.

    “The effort will help to reduce the number of victims if there is emergency situation,’’ he said.

    Ike-Ene noted that in the North-east there was always gap for the girl-child education, saying that this incidence of abduction in schools could put more fear and terror in their lives.

    His said: “even the parents too may now be unwilling to allow their children, especially the female to go to school due to the fear of the unknown.’’

    Ike-Ene, however, commended the Federal Government for being proactive in securing the release of the abducted girls from Government Girls Science Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State.

    He also appealed to the government to use same approach to ensure the release of the remaining girls as well as the other chibok girls.

    “We are still anxious to see the remaining girls, because they are our students; we still want them back. We want to praise this government and we are asking them to do more.’’

    On February 19, some school girls were abducted by insurgent groups in Government Girls Science Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State.

     

     

  • Population explosion, climate change causing water crisis – FG

    The Federal Government on Thursday blamed the poor water supply in the country on population explosion and climate change.

    The government noted that access to clean water and sanitation facilities had declined because of increased population growth.

    Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu, who stated these at a symposium to commemorate the 2018 World Water Day in Abuja, noted that it was sad that despite abundant water resources, water supply coverage remained at 57 per cent.

    The figures, he noted, showed that the remaining 93 per cent of Nigerians get water from other sources.

    The Minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Musa Ibrahim, said millions of Nigerians especially those living in the rural areas were still without access to improved drinking water sources.

    He said: “The provision of water infrastructures is capital intensive, hence the need for a concerted effort by all stakeholders to overcome the challenges in the water sector.

    “Statistics have shown over the years that with the rapid increase in population growth, access to clean drinking water and sanitation steadily declines.

    “A lot of factors contribute to the water crises, such as climate change, poor management and a lot more, the most incriminating is the neglect of our ecosystem. This has resulted in environmental damages such as floods, droughts, water pollution among others.

    “A worrying challenge is the declining percentage of Nigerians that are getting that water supply through piped networks, from 31 percent in 1990 to less than 7 percent in 2017.

    The crisis, he said, had forced many to drilling of boreholes with resultant consequences on the environment in urban areas and fetching of unclean water from streams and river in rural areas.

    The minister noted that the federal government was committed towards formulating and implementing policies and programmes that would enable sustainable access to safe and sufficient water for all Nigerians.

    Earlier in his remarks, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Representative, Mr. Simone Grego, said question is drinking water resources was one of the major issues of the century globally.

    Me. Grego, who quoted a UN World Water Development Report, said globally, 3.6 billion people live in potentially water-scarce areas, saying this figure could rise to 5 billion by 2050, if nothing was done.

    He also noted that 80 per cent of waste water returns to the ecosystem without been treated, stressing that these developments were leading to degradation of the ecosystems causing ecological imbalances and water scarcity.

    He called for urgent solutions that would protect, manage and restore natural ecosystems that would respond to the human and ecological challenges currently faced.

    He said: “Planting new forests, reconnecting rivers to flood plains and restoring wetlands are Solutions that will address contemporary water management issues.”

    He pledged the commitment of UNESCO to support government’s transition to green economies and in programmes to implement better integrated water policies.

    WaterAid Country Director, Dr Chichi Okoye, said the SDG six commits the world to ensure that everyone had safe water by 2030, saying protecting the natural environment and reducing water pollution is imperative.

    She urged the Nigerian Government to prioritise water and sanitation by improving budget allocations to the sector.

    Okoye said: “The dire situation needs the highest level of government’s attention, especially in delivering water for the poorest and most marginalised people.

    “In addition to financing, we need an integrated approach to solving the water crises where water, sanitation and hygiene needs are integrated into health, education, nutrition and gender equality.

    “Without water, none of the UN Global Goals can be met.”

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