No fewer than 33 people have been prosecuted by the Environmental Sanitation Mobile Court for violating the monthly Environmental Sanitation exercise in Riyom Local Government of Plateau State.
The offenders were arrested at various locations in Riyom engaging in their private businesses during the hours of the environmental Sanitation.
The Transition Committee Chairman of Riyom Local Government Council, Sati Shuwa while monitoring the exercise warned the residents and passersby against violating environmental laws that prohibited roaming about, trading, and other activities during the Sanitation hours.
The Council Chairman who was accompanied in the exercise by the Directors of the Council, Security personnel, and Sanitary Inspectors of the Local Government described the level of compliance in Riyom town as impressive.
The Chairman in the spirit of sportsmanship paid all the fines of those prosecuted for violating the environmental law and warned them to desist from such behaviours.
While at Ganawuri, the Transition Committee Chairman frowned at low-level compliance by the residents as well as high movement of vehicles and conduct of commercial activities during sanitation hours.
The Local Government Chairman while addressing residents of Ganawuri at the Market Square, advised them to always observe the Government’s directives on monthly Sanitation by keeping their environment clean to avert the outbreak of diseases.
The Chairman earlier on arrival paid a visit to the Attaa Atten of Ganawuri in his Palace where he told the paramount ruler to always assist the Government by sensitizing their subjects on the need for them to always keep their environments clean.
Responding, the Attaa Atten of Ganawuri, Yakubu Chaimang thanked the Chairman for the visit and promised to mobilize his people ahead of the October Sanitation.
Director of Water and Sanitation of Riyom Local Government, Samson Dung urged people of the area to always maintain a clean environment for healthy living.
Proprietors of eight filling stations in Akwa Ibom State are to be prosecuted for violating the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) seal off order, the Controller (Operations), Mr. Tamunoiminabo Kingsley-Sundaye, has said.
He spoke yesterday in Uyo when the surveillance team of DPR carried out operations.
Kingsley-Sundaye listed the stations as ABC filling station, Oil Link Lubrication Ltd, UdyChris filling station, Tonimas filling station, Sannil filling station, First Indices filling station, Nickgloson filling station and Spicy filling station.
He said they were located on Ikot Ekpene road, Uyo, Abak road, Uyo and Aka Itiam in Uyo Local Government.
“We are writing to the police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to arrest owners of these stations and prosecute them,” Kingsley-Sundaye said.
He said when the team visited the stations that had been sealed off to find out the level of compliance, eight of them were caught selling fuel with DPR seal.
“We had sealed off the eight stations for selling above approved government pump price of N145 per litre,” Kingsley-Sundaye said.
He said the marketers disrespected the Federal Government price regime, adding that they would be prosecuted.
Kingsley-Sundaye said the stations would be suspended from loading at the depot.
“We are writing to the depot to stop these stations from lifting petroleum products,” he added.
The DPR controller of operation said their suspension would act as a deterrent to others.
He warned independent marketers to desist from selling fuel to black marketers carrying jerry-cans.
Kingsley-Sundaye said the department seized 50 litres of petrol and 100 jerry-cans of the product from black marketers, who sold fuel opposite NNPC filling station in Uyo.
The Oyo State government has convicted 23 persons for violating environmental laws under the Environmental Sanitation Regulations of 2013 and the Oyo State Waste Management Authority laws of 2004.
The offenders were sentenced to four months’ imprisonment but given the option to pay N10,000 fine.
Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun, spoke at the weekend on the state’s efforts to enforce the state’s environmental laws.
The commissioner said the offenders were arrested while dumping refuse in parts of Ibadan, the statet capital, including Monatan, Oremeji, Sango, Alakia and Adegbayi.
He said they were arraigned on Thursday before Senior Magistrate 2, Giwa Babalola, at Magistrates’ Court 18 of Oyo Waste Management Authority at Agodi Gate in Ibadan.
The offenders were arraigned on a two-count of indiscriminate dumping of refuse and refusal to use waste collectors.
Each offence attracts a fine of N5,000 or two months’ imprisonment.
The state’s Chief Environmental Health Officer Oni Kolawole said the government had zero tolerance for unlawful dumping of refuse on the median and roadsides.
He said only Oyo State Waste management Authority (OYOWMA) or its agents are mandated to collect refuse.
A University of Uyo (UNIUYO) professor and 44 others were arrested and prosecuted on Saturday by the Akwa Ibom State Government for contravening the state’s monthly sanitation.
The sanitation holds every last Saturday of the month between 7 am and 10 am.
The clean-up, which started last year by the Udom Emmanuel administration, was the initiative of the Commissioner for Environment, Dr Iniobong Essien.
It is aimed at ensuring a clean environment through hygienic practices among residents.
The 45 defaulters, who were picked up by sanitation monitoring teams within Uyo, the capital city, were charged at the Sanitation Court, chaired by Rebecca Akpan, with committing an offence under Section 4 (m), which is punishable under Section 38 of Akwa Ibom State Public Health Law, Cap 103, Volume 5 of 2000.
The woman professor, whose name was not given to the media, was discharged and acquitted on self-recognisance.
This followed her appeal to the mobile court that she was on her way to clean up her church after completing the sanitation at home.
A few others, who were said to be students, were pardoned after convincing the court that they were on transit through the state and were not aware of the sanitation.
Those who pleaded guilty were asked to pay a fine of N3,000 each. But about 20 others, who pleaded not guilty, were remanded in prison custody.
They would be arraigned tomorrow by the government.
A dry cleaner, Mr Aniebiet Michael, who was arrested on Oron Road at 8 am, said: “I came from church in the morning for the sanitation at my shop, off Oron Road, when I was arrested by the task force and brought to the Sanitation Court. I pleaded guilty when I saw the seriousness, and the magistrate fined me N3,000.
“I did not have the money; so, I called my brother, who paid before the court closed at 2 pm.
“Those who could not pay or were defiant, and pleaded not guilty – about 20 of them – were conveyed in a long bus to a prison.
‘’There they would stay till Tuesday, to either pay the fine – for those who were fined – or have their case against the state started – for those who pleaded not guilty.”
Also, at the popular Uyo market, Dr Essien warned the traders to keep their stalls and shops clean or face sanctions.
The commissioner advised them to get polythene bags to pack their waste and drop at designated points.
He reminded them that the Emmanuel administration was determined to ensure that Akwa Ibom regained its glory as the cleanest state and its residents the cleanest.
Twenty-five persons have been shortlisted for appointment as Federal High Court judges. Did the process comply with the rules? No, says rights group and judiciary watchdog, Access to Justice. JOSEPH JIBUEZE writes.
The National Judicial Council (NJC) is violating its rules in the appointment of 25 new judges of the Federal High Court, a rights group the Access to Justice (A2J) has alleged.
It said the criteria being used do not comply with the Revised National Judicial Council Guidelines and Procedural Rules 2014.
The group said the breaches are considerable, and that if the current recruitment is allowed to proceed, it would seriously undermine the integrity of the reforms made in the Revised Guidelines.
The Guidelines seek to ensure openness, competitiveness, merit and transparency in recruitment processes as well as safeguard judicial appointments from being lobbied and politicised.
Among others, it provides for call for expression of interest by suitable candidates by way of advertorial placed on the website of state judicial service commission, notice boards of the courts and of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) branches.
Guideline observed in breach?
“This rule was clearly not followed in the current recruitment process. The only publication made on the existing vacancies was an advertisement placed on the website of the Federal High Court. Unfortunately, our investigation reveals that no such call for expression of interest by suitable candidates was made.
“All that was placed on the website of the Federal High Court was a copy of the letter written to judges, heads of courts, Attorney-General of the Federation and the NBA president inviting them to make recommendations of suitable persons for consideration,” A2J said.
In addition, the group, in a statement by its Executive Director Joseph Otteh, said there were no
Otteh
appropriate parameters used in shortlisting candidates who were recommended to the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) and the NJC.
Following the ongoing recruitment exercise, A2J made a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Mahmud Mohammed, who is FJSC chairman.
It also sought information from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, on the criteria adopted to fill the judicial vacancies. The letters were replied on August 27, and September 8.
In view of the letters received, the group drew attention to what it called significant breaches of the Revised Guidelines.
•Justice Auta
“The breaches of the said Guidelines are considerable, and if the current recruitment is allowed to proceed, it would seriously undermine the integrity of the reforms made in the Revised Guidelines.
“For this reason, Access to Justice urges the NJC to hold the process leading to the selection and nomination of candidates for the existing vacancies in the Federal High Court (FHC) to be in manifest and substantial contravention of the Revised Guidelines and is irredeemably flawed; and to direct that the process be begun afresh.
“We also urge the NJC to insist that any fresh exercise must adhere with, and be in compliance with the Revised Guidelines 2014,” A2J said.
‘How Guidelines were violated’
A2J said the current Federal High Court recruitment has been done in ways that conflict with the core goals of the Revised Guidelines , especially in the aspect of transparency and accessibility
Rules 3 of the Revised Guidelines provides that the Judicial Service Commission shall call expression of interest by suitable candidates by way of public notice placed on the website of the Judicial Service Commission / Committee concerned, notice boards of the courts and notice boards of Nigeria Bar Association branches.
Rule 3 mandates the publication of a Public Notice of existing judicial vacancies calling for an expression of interest by suitable candidates in at least three publicly accessible forums.
According to the group, the word “shall” makes it mandatory that a call/announcement be made, in the stipulated forms, for interested candidates to express interest to fill the vacant positions.
Rule 3(3) states that such a call for expression of interest/nomination must bear a closing date.
A2J said: “This rule was clearly not followed in the current recruitment process.”
FJSC’s position faulted
According to letter signed by FJSC Secretary, Mrs. B.A. Bashir, the only publication made on the existing vacancies was an advertisement placed on the website of the Federal High Court.
But A2J said its investigation reveals that no such call for expression of interest by suitable candidates was made.
It said all that was placed on the website of the Federal High Court was a copy of the letter written to judges, heads of courts, AGF and NBA president inviting them to make recommendations of suitable persons for consideration.
In his response to the FOI request, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, “respectfully begged the question,” according to A2J.
It sought to know details of the modes and avenues used in publicising/advertising the available vacancies.
“His response was: ‘That the mode of and avenues in publicizsing the vacancies are as stated in the Rules 3(1)(a)(i)(ii)(iii) of the 2014 Revised National Judicial Council Guidelines & Procedural Rules for the Appointment of Judicial Officers of All Superior Courts of Record in Nigeria.’”
However, the group said the only notice it is aware of was published at the court’s instance – the letter posted on its website addressed to specific judicial officers and the AGF asking for recommendation of ‘… any fit and proper legal practitioner in Nigeria for consideration for appointment as judges of the Federal High Court.’
‘Guidelines not complied with’
The information posted on the court’s website, A2J said, is not form or the substance of what the Guidelnes requires.
To the group, such procedure negates the goals of the NJC Revised Guidelines as information of the existing vacancies was not published in the required forums, neither was information of the vacancies offered to the public or interested suitable persons.
Merit safeguards gettisoned
On merit-based selection safeguards, the group said there were no appropriate parameters used in shortlisting candidates who were recommended to the FJSC and the NJC.
In the FOI request, A2J had requested for details of the criteria adopted in drawing up the provisional shortlist of candidates.
It had asked: “Was there a panel or committee set up to scrutinise the applications? If yes, please provide us with the names of persons constituting the panel/committee, its head and its terms of reference.
“If no, provide information on how the selected candidates were shortlisted, by whom they were shortlisted and the parameters of selection.”
CJ’s position
In his response, Justice Auta said the professional status of those who recommended the candidates was an initial consideration, followed by the quality of judgments/rulings the candidates delivered, the available vacancy for the state and Federal Character.
However, Rule 3(4) of the Revised Guidelines provide: Soon after the closing date for the receipt of applications and or nominations, the Chairman of the Judicial Service Commission/Committee concerned shall make a provisional shortlist on the merits consisting of not less than twice the number of Judicial Officers intended to be appointed at the particular time and circulate the provisional shortlist together with a request for comments on the suitability or otherwise of any of the short listed candidates…
According to A2J, the Rule provides that the provisional shortlist shall be made “on the merits”, which means it must be “based on the qualities of someone or something, or on the facts of a situation”.
To the group, most of the considerations that influenced the shortlist, as confirmed by the CJ, miss the mark.
“Selection on the merits would naturally look at the strengths or weaknesses of the candidates without reference to external factors, such as federal character even though that latter factor may come in subsequently,” it said.
Factors for consideration
Rule 3 (6) of the Guidelines defines factors to take into consideration in shortlisting candidates.
It says: In carrying out the provisional short listing exercise, the Chairman of the Judicial Service Commission /Committee shall take into consideration as much as possible, (i) professional expertise and competence, including in the case of appointment of Judges from the High Court to the Court of Appeal and Justices of the Court of Appeal/Chief Judges/Legal Practitioners/academicians to the Supreme Court, the quality of judgments and performance and demonstration of judicial skills of the Judge; and in the case of appointment from the Bar, evidence of six contested cases in the last S years; (ii) sound knowledge of law, (iii) seniority at the Bar and or the Bench, (iv) federal character or geographical spread and where necessary and possible, without compromising the independence of the judiciary or allowing politics to permeate or influence the appointment.
From Justice Auta’s response, it was clear that these considerations were largely excluded from the process.
The CJ said the ‘quality of judgment/ruling’ was a consideration for the shortlisting.
However, Rule 3 (6)(i) says the quality of judgments and demonstration of judicial skills is only relevant in the case of appointment of judges from the High Court to the Court of Appeal and Justices of the Court of Appeal/Chief Judges/Legal Practitioners/academicians to the Supreme Court’.
“Therefore, this was not a legitimate consideration in the case of appointments to the Federal High Court,” A2J said.
The group said in relation to the process followed in filling the vacancies, there has been an interlocking sequence of putting the wrong foot forward in each of the required steps established by the Revised Guidelines.
It said the process from inception was marred by irregularities and breaches, which it said began with limiting the range of people who could participate in the recruitment.
It also denied otherwise eligible and suitable people the chance to be considered for the Bench, A2J added.
“The process adopted for the appointment is now so fundamentally flawed that it is difficult to build anything credible or legitimate upon this sort of foundation or correct the errors at any other stage of the process. Many Nigerians will be disappointed and disillusioned if this process is allowed to produce the next batch of judges of the Federal High Court,” the group said.
Threat of ‘mischief’ being perpetuated
A2J said it is deeply concerned that the procedure for filling the vacancies will perpetuate the ‘mischief’ sought to be addressed by the revised NJC guidelines if the procedure adopted is allowed to stand.
“Access to Justice also observes that apart from the power to officially communicate the existence of court vacancies to the Chairman of the NJC and FJSC pursuant to Rule 2(2)(a) of the Revised Guidelines, the Chief Judge of the FHC does not have, within the general context of the Revised Guidelines, the powers which he has irregularly exercised in the course of this recruitment exercise.
“The power to write, ‘… in the case of appointment to a Federal Court, to the President, Nigerian Bar Association ; or, in the case of appointment to a State Court, to the Chairman of every Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association in the State concerned, asking for nomination of suitable candidates for the proposed judicial appointment and requesting that he/she brings to the notice of suitable candidates the call for expression of interest by each of them’ belongs to ‘…the relevant Judicial Service Commission/Committee’ according to the terms of Rule 3(1)(a) and 3(1)(a)(iii). It was therefore wrong of the Chief Judge of the FHC, by himself, to exercise the power.”
NJC urged to reject list
A2J urged the NJC to adjudge the process to fill the vacancies as fundamentally flawed on the grounds of substantial non-compliance with or breach of its Guidelines.
It said: “The process adopted was not transparent, open, accessible and fair and denied a level playing field to all prospective and qualified candidates.
“They were also not merit-based. We urge the NJC to reject the list forwarded by the Federal Judicial Service Commission.
“By so doing, the NJC will be sending a strong signal to all Judicial Service Commissions and heads of court that it will not return to the ‘business as usual’ status quo in relation to judicial appointments and that it will respect its own mandatory policies and rules governing the appointment of judges in Nigeria.”
The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) on Wednesday banned Bisola Asaju of Team Kwara from the ongoing 18th National Sports Festival (NSF) in Lagos and subsequent Games for cheating.
Ranti Lajide, an International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) certified umpire, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that Asaju was ineligible to participate in the Games, having featured in three past editions.
Lajide, who is officiating in the table tennis event, said the NTTF had vowed to disqualify any player found violating the rules of the NSF. “The player was trying to be faster than her shadow, but the NTTF is very particular about such persons and once we identify them, he or she is automatically disqualified,” he said.
Lajide said that such a tough step would discourage others from getting involved in such, because the festival was designed for talent discovery. “We cannot allow athletes who have had their times at previous Games to deny upcoming talents from showing their skills, so we have to put a stop to it,” he added.
Also speaking to NAN, ACP Anderson Bankole, expressed satisfaction with the performances of players at the festival and described them as the hope of tomorrow.
Bankole, an NTTF board member, said: “I am highly impressed with the brilliant performances of the athletes and we are actually identifying talents as the competition progresses.”
He said that coaches had more work to do so that the future of identified talents could be tailored in line with the techniques of the ping-pong game. The NTTF board member also said that the federation was committed to developing table tennis at the grassroots.
