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Tag: HEDA

  • HEDA reaffirms commitment to integrity, accountability at Gani Fawehinmi awards

    HEDA reaffirms commitment to integrity, accountability at Gani Fawehinmi awards

    The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting integrity, justice and accountability in Nigeria.

    The organisation made the declaration at the 8th edition of the Gani Fawehinmi Impact and Integrity Awards (GFIIA), held in commemoration of the 2025 International Human Rights Day with the theme, “Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now.”

    Chairman of HEDA Resource Centre, Mr Olanrewaju Suraju, described the awards as a moral compass that continues to remind the nation of the values exemplified by the late legal icon, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, including courage in the face of oppression, unwavering integrity and a lifelong commitment to justice and human rights.

    Suraju noted that the 2025 edition was significant as it aligns with the global theme of the International Human Rights Day, stressing that at a time of growing inequality, civic repression and widening social divisions, the defence of human rights and accountability has become more urgent than ever.

    He said the awards celebrate Nigerians who continue to resist corruption and uphold transparency, adding that the stories of the honourees demonstrate that integrity remains possible, powerful and impactful, even in challenging times.

    The HEDA chairman also announced a new partnership with the Gani Fawehinmi Students’ Chambers, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, which co-hosted the event. 

    According to him, the collaboration reflects the belief that building a culture of integrity must begin with mentorship, youth engagement and early inspiration.

    Suraju commended the MacArthur Foundation, nominees, awardees, civil society partners and members of the media for their sustained support for the GFIIA.

    “As we honour these exceptional Nigerians, we must remember that integrity is not just a virtue but the foundation for national transformation,” he said, urging Nigerians to stand for what is right, defend human dignity and work towards a future defined by fairness, justice and opportunity.

    At the event, Dr Mrs Lola Odeyale Ayo-Fashida emerged winner of the Outstanding Integrity Award category, while Barrister Olumide Kayode-Omosebi and Mr Offiong Charles Ikpeme were named first and second runners-up respectively. 

    In the Valuable Whistle Blower category, Pastor Nicholas Evaritus won the award, with Builder Kunle Awoodu as first runner-up.

    For the Outstanding Impact Award category, Hajiya Aishatu A’yan Guru Nahuce was announced as winner, while Mary Ngozi Kekwaaru and Dayyabu Bala Gezawa emerged first and second runners-up respectively. Yetunde Abimbola-Alebiosu won the Nigerians in Diaspora Integrity Ambassador Award.

    Speaking after the event, the founder and executive director of The Gnosis Help Initiative and first runner-up in the Outstanding Integrity Award category, Olumide Kayode-Omosebi, commended HEDA for the recognition, describing it as a major encouragement for decades of humanitarian work carried out without financial reward.

    He said the award was motivating, noting that for about 25 years, his organisation had provided support to beneficiaries without collecting money, adding that public recognition of such efforts was both inspiring and encouraging.

  • HEDA demands speedy justice, warns lawyers against delay tactics

    HEDA demands speedy justice, warns lawyers against delay tactics

    The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has called for the swift continuation of the long-running fraud trial and cautioned senior lawyers against tactics that delay justice and undermine public confidence in the judiciary.

    The call follows a recent ruling by the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which revoked the bail earlier granted to Fred Ajudua by the Court of Appeal in 2018 and ordered the case to be returned to Justice Mojisola Dada for trial.

    HEDA described the judgment as both progressive and necessary, coming after nearly two decades of delays in a $1.43 million fraud case.

    HEDA chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, commended the apex court for rising above legal technicalities to uphold the sanctity of justice, describing the decision as a victory for the rule of law.

    Read Also: HEDA report exposes oil licensing flaws, weak regulations, environmental injustice

    “The Supreme Court has, once again, demonstrated that justice can prevail in Nigeria when courage and conscience guide the law. However, we must now match this significant ruling with a speedy and decisive dispensation of justice. For a case that began in 2005 to linger for nearly two decades is not only a mockery of our justice system but a betrayal of the victims’ quest for justice,” he said.

    HEDA expressed deep concern over what it described as a disturbing pattern of delay tactics employed by some senior members of the Bar, who manipulate legal procedures to shield high-profile defendants from accountability.

    “It is disappointing and dangerous that some members of the Inner Bar have continually exploited the loopholes in our legal system to stall trials, abuse bail privileges, and deny victims and the nation the justice they deserve. We strongly caution such legal practitioners: you are not only impeding justice, you are complicit in enabling crimes and impunity.”

    Suraju reiterated that justice must not only be done but also be seen to be done within reasonable timeframes.

    He warned that public officials who embezzle funds and defraud citizens will not escape eventual reckoning.

    “There shall be no peaceful retirement for those who loot the public treasury and rob innocent people of their hard-earned money. History will not forget, and justice delayed though it will not be denied,” he said.

    He urged the Lagos State Judiciary to ensure that the resumed trial of Ajudua proceeds without further delays and called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to continue its prosecution with professionalism and resolve.

  • HEDA report exposes oil licensing flaws, weak regulations, environmental injustice

    HEDA report exposes oil licensing flaws, weak regulations, environmental injustice

    The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) Resource Centre has exposed serious flaws in Nigeria’s oil licensing process, highlighting regulatory failures, financial misconduct, and environmental injustice in the Niger Delta. 

    At the public presentation of its latest report in Ikeja, Lagos, HEDA revealed that several companies awarded marginal oil field licenses in the 2020/2021 bidding round lacked proper registration and failed to meet legal and financial requirements. 

    The report, titled Marginal Fields’ Awards, Regulators’ Independence, and Environmental Injustice: Paradox of Beneficial Ownership and the Host Communities, also raised concerns over the unchecked environmental damage caused by oil companies. 

    Chairman, HEDA Resource Centre, Olanrewaju Suraju, condemned the awarding of contracts to unregistered companies, questioning the credibility of Nigeria’s oil sector regulations. 

    “Out of approximately 38 companies, 18 are not even registered, and many have failed to file their annual returns. This is not about the supply of goods and services; we are talking about Nigeria’s main economic sector,” he said. 

    He stressed that the failure to enforce due diligence had led to massive revenue losses for the country and called for collaboration between regulatory agencies such as the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI). 

    Read Also: HEDA sues National Assembly over alleged constitutional breach

    Beyond financial misconduct, Suraju warned that environmental pollution in the Niger Delta remains a pressing concern.

    He urged civil society, the diplomatic community, and international organisations to intervene, particularly as oil companies attempt to divest from Nigeria without fulfilling their environmental responsibilities. 

    The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) Executive Secretary of NEITI, Dr. Ogbonnaya Orji, Dr. Ogbonnaya Orji, commended HEDA’s efforts in promoting transparency and accountability, reaffirming NEITI’s commitment to ensuring responsible resource management. 

    “Beneficial ownership transparency is not just about knowing who owns what. It is about protecting our nation’s resources from corruption, illicit financial flows, and mismanagement. Host communities must be protected, compensated, and empowered.” 

    Book Reviewer and Lecturer, University of Lagos, Prof. Dayo Ayoade, criticised the licensing process, describing it as compromised by political influence and corruption. 

    “The 2020/2021 marginal fields bidding round exhibited procedural abuse and corrupt practices, leading to significant financial losses. Some of the winning companies were owned or backed by politically exposed persons,” he said. 

    Ayoade added that 11 out of the 35 surveyed companies were inactive under the CAC, while several lacked the tax clearance certificates required for eligibility under the Public Procurement Act 2007. 

    He further warned that oil companies seeking to exit Nigeria must first be held accountable for their environmental damage.

    “Before these companies are allowed to exit, they must remediate the damage done, pay compensation, and fulfill their decommissioning responsibilities.”

  • HEDA appeals ruling on citing of new base stations

    HEDA appeals ruling on citing of new base stations

    The Incorporated Trustees of HEDA Resource Centre has appealed the judgment of the Federal High Court in Lagos which struck out its suit seeking to stop the construction of new base stations.

    The court on June 21 struck out Heda’s application seeking to bar the Federal Ministry of Environment, ATC Nigeria Wireless Infrastructure Limited and MTN Communications Plc from going ahead with the planned construction of new base stations near existing sites operated by other infrastructure operators.

    HEDA Resource Centre, in a statement by its Executive Director, Olanrewaju Suraju, said the verdict was very odd and inconsistent with the court’s earlier position that the plaintiff had a cause of action in the preliminary objection brought by MTN on the same facts.

    It believes that reaching conflicting conclusions on two similar applications makes an appeal against the decision of Justice Yelim Bogoro necessary.

    “We see this decision of the Federal High Court as very odd and inconsistent with the law.

    “Reason is the fact that the same trial judge had admitted that there was a cause of action on the earlier application on the same set of facts brought by the fifth respondent, MTN.

    “The court, in another application by the fourth respondent (ATC), which came much later, also affirmed the fact that HEDA Resource Centre had a cause of action.

    “It is strange to us that His Lordship suddenly shifted his earlier position by saying there was no cause of action when nothing material has changed.”

    According to HEDA, the judgment was suggestive that a cause of action would arise if permits are issued to the defendants (ATC and MTN) or they take steps toward building new base station sites.

    It said the ruling was also supportive of the Federal Ministry of Environment’s position that its action should not be the basis of the suit.

    Read Also: HEDA accuses soldiers of land grabbing

    HEDA maintained that the ministry’s role as a critical agency responsible for ensuring a safe, livable environment could not be downplayed. 

    The group added: “It is interesting to read narratives in the media that we are acting as a proxy for IHS. 

    “We are an independent body and anyone can check our history of advocacy, including our history with MTN Nigeria dating back many years.”

    Justice Bogoro in March dismissed two applications by ATC and MTN challenging the competence of the suit filed by HEDA Resource Centre.

    He affirmed the organisation’s locus to file the case.

  • NGO educates community on dangers of single-use plastics, offers alternatives

    NGO educates community on dangers of single-use plastics, offers alternatives

    A non-governmental organisation, Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), has taken to major markets in the Ogba area of Lagos State to create awareness and sensitise marketers on the dangers of using and poorly disposing of styrofoam and single-use plastic.

    The foundation also gave reusable bottles and plastic bowls to hundreds of market traders as an alternative to single-use plastics and styrofoam.

    The campaign is part of the activities to commemorate the HEDA Resource Centre’s 20th anniversary.

    The Executive Secretary of HEDA Resource Centre, Sulaimon Arigbabu, who led the campaign, said all hands must be on deck to fight the menace of styrofoam, single-use plastics, and its negative impact on the environment.

    He said, “This community outreach importantly is part of a series of event that we have lined up to celebrate our 20th anniversary, but beyond the celebration community outreach is one of the tools we use at HEDA to promote behavioral change, to create awareness about issues of public importance.”
    “This one is very much important because we have chosen to campaign the use of single-use plastic, yesterday (Thursday) we were at the Ipodo market in Ikeja, where we spoke to hundreds of marketers and we sensitised them on the need to say No to single-use plastic.

    Read Also: Winners emerge in Gani Fawehinmi Impact And Integrity Awards (GFIIA) 2023

    “As part of our anniversary, and as part of our realisation that people in the country are hungry, and any succor you can bring to people is important, we are doing outreach to feed a multitude of people.

    “And we are not just feeding people, we are passing a message, the food we have prepared are brought in reusable packs, the normal bowls we use in our homes, things we will not just use and dispose.

    “Yesterday (Thursday) in Ikeja where we are, there was flooding and the rain has not yet come. This one is us testing the mic.

    “The real rain has not come and Ikeja is flooded, Surulere flooded. And then we went round after the flood subsided and we saw the reason for the flooding. It’s not because the earth can no longer take the rain, it is because of plastic, styrofoam, and different kinds of plastic destroying our environment, blocking our drainages, and making our lives difficult.”

    Reacting, the Chief Imam of the Oluwole Central Mosque, Imam Sa’adullah Bello, commended the HEDA Resource Centre for their efforts in sensitising the community about the harmful effects of using styrofoam and single-use plastics.

    He also encouraged the government to make use of religious bodies to inform members of the public on issues, he recommended inter-faith bodies and many others as places to educate the community.

    Mr. Taiwo Adewole, an executive member of the Lagos Recycler Association, also spoke about the Waste 2 Wealth program, an initiative of the organisation to encourage people to turn their waste into money.

    Adewole said that members of the community can give their plastics and cans in exchange for money and they can reach the nearest LRA member on a mobile app called, PARKAN.

  • HEDA accuses soldiers of land grabbing

    HEDA accuses soldiers of land grabbing

    The  Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) Resource Centre has accused officers of the Nigerian Army of engaging in land grabbing .

    The Executive Secretary of HEDA, Sulaiman Arigbabu made this disclosure during an interactive session with the media. The event which was to mark the 20th anniversary of HEDA held Sunday evening at Colossus Hotel, Opebi Link Bridge, behind Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja .

    He hinted that the group might be taking the military authority to court over the matter soon.

    Arigbabu spoke during his presentation on “Assessing HEDA’s 23-year impact: Contributions to Environmental Sustainability, Climate Justice, Agriculture and Food security”

    He said: “We have issues with Nigerian Army on land grabbing. Our farmers in a very quiet community in Epe, in places that their ancestors have lived and farmed many years past,  are now being pushed out of these places by the Nigerian Army.

    “They are now being told by  a corporal to come and collect pass before they can go to their fish farms and other farms in the area. These are issues we intend to fight”, he said

    HEDA chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju also disclosed plans to start certificate training programme on good governance for students of the higher institutions.

    Read Also: Tinubu appoints former NYSC D-G, others to tackle social vices in tertiary institutions

    Suraju said the group is already in discussion with the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka authorities on the progrmme.

    He said the idea is to start inculcating the idea of good governance in the minds of the young students before they leave school.

    The HEDA chairman recalled that the group supported the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa on Bankers Declaration of Asset Act which he said was till being violated by bankers till date.

    “Every banker is expected to declare  their asset on assumption of duty, lamenting that the National Assembly forced the former EFCC boss to back down on the issue.

    “We have written to the office of the Secretary to the Federal Government to designate an agency to take care of that process. If we don’t get appropriate response, we would sue the Secretary to the Federal Government to get him to comply.” he said

  • Alleged contempt: HEDA seeks to jail American Tower’s CEO

    Alleged contempt: HEDA seeks to jail American Tower’s CEO

    A non-governmental organisation, the Incorporated Trustees of HEDA Resource Centre (HEDA), has commenced contempt proceedings against the Managing Director of ATC Nigeria Wireless Infrastructure Limited, Errol Ambler-Smith.

    In a Form 48 sighted by our correspondent in the registry of the Federal High Court, HEDA issued a notice of consequences of disobedience of court orders against ATC Nigeria.

    Named in the Form 48 is the Managing Director of ATC Nigeria against whom the warning seems to be directed.

    HEDA had in a public interest Suit marked FHC/L/CS/2359/2023 sued the Federal Ministry of Environment, ATC Nigeria Wireless Infrastructure Ltd (ATC Nigeria) and MTN Nigeria Communications Plc (MTN Nigeria).

    It seeks to stop MTN and ATC from siting new base stations where there are already existing ones in close proximity owing to health and environmental concerns.

    Read Also; Food inflation a global phenomenon – Bwala

    Justice Yellim Bogoro had on November 21, 2023, issued an ex-parte order of injunction against ATC Nigeria, MTN Nigeria and other defendants to restrain them from taking any step towards establishing new masts in close proximity to existing ones.

    The court upheld the prayers of the plaintiff/applicant (HEDA Resource) and ordered the fourth and fifth defendants – ATC Nigeria Wireless Infrastructure Ltd and MTN Nigeria Communications Plc respectively, together with their “servants, agents, privies and/or assigns from commencing, continuing or completing the construction or installation of any base trans-receiver stations/towers/masts (BTS) within close proximity to IHS’ existing BTS or operating any BTS within close proximity to IHS’ existing BTS pending the determination of the motion on notice.”

    The order effectively put on hold the implementation of the 2,500 towers project from IHS to ATC announced by MTN on or around 10th November 2023.

    The order of injunction was reaffirmed by the court on December 7, 2023.

    Filing of the contempt proceedings may not be unconnected with the alleged violation of the order of Justice Yellim Bogoro made on November 21, 2023.

    Form 48 is the “Notice of Consequences of Disobedience to Order of Court”.

    It reads: “Take notice that unless you obey the directions contained in this order attached, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.”

    The matter comes up on February 14 for hearing of the application.