65 on trial for kidnapping

by NEXT

Police in the Niger Delta have charged 65 people with kidnapping, robbery and oil theft, some of them believed to have been behind the abduction of 19 oil and construction workers.

The hostages, including seven expatriates and 12 Nigerians working for U.S. energy giant Exxon Mobil, London-listed oil explorer Afren and local construction firm Julius Berger, were freed last month.

The armed forces arrested the gang leader responsible and more than 60 of his followers -- presumed members of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) militant group -- a few weeks later.

Rita Inoma-Abbey, police spokeswoman for Rivers, one of the three main states in the Niger Delta, said on Wednesday more than 100 suspects had been arrested in recent weeks in connection with various abductions and robberies in the region.

"We charged 65 of them to a magistrates court on Monday in Port Harcourt on 15-count charges of kidnapping, armed robbery and bunkering," she said. Bunkering refers to the organised theft of large quantities of crude oil.

"Some of the suspects were responsible for the abduction of the 19 oil workers rescued recently and of prominent citizens including a traditional ruler in the state," she said.

Resurgent unrest in the Niger Delta has risked undermining the credibility of President Goodluck Jonathan in the run-up to elections next April.

He is the first head of state from the Niger Delta and brokered an amnesty with militants last year, which saw thousands of gunmen lay down their weapons and brought more than a year without significant attacks on the oil industry.

MEND has warned of further strikes on oil installations since the freeing of the oil workers but the military appears to have made significant advances, taking over militant camps and detaining suspected gang members.

Nigeria Threatens to Report Iran to UN Over Arms Shipment

Nigerian officials say they will report Iran to the U.N. Security Council if they find evidence that an illegal arms shipment allegedly originating in Iran broke international law and U.N. sanctions.

Nigerian Foreign Minister Odein Ajumogobia issued the threat Friday.

He met in Abuja late Thursday with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki to discuss the arms shipment.

Ajumogobia said Mottaki authorized Nigerian officials to interview one of two Iranians implicated in the arms shipment.

The cache of weapons was seized by Nigeria's secret service two weeks ago in Lagos and found to contain rockets, rifle rounds, grenades and other explosives.

Israeli officials have said the weapons were bound for the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. A Hamas leader in Gaza denied the weapons were headed to Gaza.

Nigeria has been on alert since a bombing near an October 1 Independence Day celebration killed 12 people.

A Nigerian militant group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, claimed responsibility for the attack.

80 PERCENT OF ZIMBABWEAN PROSTITUTES TEST HIV POSITIVE

Eighty percent of prostitutes who have gone for HIV testing in the past five years in Zimbabwe have been found positive, the state media has reported.

50 INJURED AS PARTY SUPPORTERS CLASH

BY Ubong George/Makurdi

At least fifty persons were injured when supporters loyal to Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State clashed with loyalists of the suspended Chairman of Gboko Local Government Area , Hon Simon Abua.

aprokonews gathered that the violence started after a High Court presided over by Justice Kpam Baaki adjourned a case filed by the suspended chairman, alleging that he was wrongful suspended by the State House of Assembly.

According to him, some persons said to have spotted the Governor’s campaign T-shirts soon started singing victory songs thereby infuriating supporters of the suspended Chairman and a bloody clash occurred. Several persons including two councilors were thoroughly beaten.

The clash continued unabated for more than an hour after the court adjourned its sitting even as fighting spread to other parts of the metropolis.

Lawyers as well as journalists took to their heels to save their lives.

It, however, took the intervention of operatives of the Joint Military/Police Security outfit code named ‘Operation Zenda’ from neighboring towns and other security agencies in quelling the crisis and avoiding further bloodshed.

aprokonews also learnt from a cross-section of people in Gboko that the crisis between Mr Simon Abua, susupended council chairman of Gboko local government area and Governor Gabriel Suswam is seen as an extension of the wrangling between immediate past governor, Senator George Akume and Suswam.

Abua is well-known as Akume’s closest associate and confidant, who had refused to be disloyal to Senator Akume and his paying the price for unrepentant loyalty.

At the recent swearing-in of the acting chairman of Gboko LGA, Mr. Joseph Kutu, Governor Suswam charged him to take control of the security situation in the local government area to avoid any break down of law and order.

2011: IBB CAMPAIGN GROUP SWITCHES TO JONATHAN

Written by Ahuraka Yusuf Isah, Abuja

The Presidential ambition of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (retd) may face some huddles as all the state co-ordinators of Babangida Campaign Organisation in the 2007 general election on Friday switched camps to the President Goodluck Jonathan campaign organisation.

The group led by Prince Ernest Khuemen Okojie, described President Jonathan as the Joshua of our time whom God has ordained to lead the country to the promise land.

Okojie who spoke in Abuja at a meeting with other leaders of the Ijaw nation in Clark's residence said, “Dr. Jonathan Ebele Goodluck is the Joshua of our time who was destined to lead his people to cross over Jordan at the command of God Almighty. Jonathan should free this country from bad rulers to good governance where everyone will feel a sense of inclusiveness, be happy and proud.

“I, Prince E.K. Okojie, the Chairman and Natioanl Co-ordinator of the defunct IBB Presidential Campaign Organisation is here with 35 out of the 37 State Co-ordinators to join hands with all the all the progressives and, the hitherto marginalized people of this country both north and south to work hard to ensure President Goodluck Jonathan becomes President in 2011", he said.

Clark in his response said, “Today is one of the happiest day in my life. The IBB campaign group have resolved to work for Jonathan.. No section of this country is against Jonathan contesting the election. I am grateful to you for coming. I want us to work together to move the country forward.”

Clark who condemned the spate of kidnapping in the country said, “it is unfortunate that kidnapping has now spread to other parts of the country, especially, the east. Kidnapping is worse then armed robbery. I am happy that the government has taken a decision on the isuue. Th e actions of the kidnappers are wicked. Nigerians are unhappy with what is going on.”

WHY SOLUDO IS AFTER ME –Akunyili •ALLEGATIONS LAUGHABLE –Soludo

by Sam Nwaoko, Awka

The Minister of Information and Communications, Professor Dora Akunyili (pictured above), has said her in-law and former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Professor Chukwuma Soludo (pictured down), is after her because he refused to be placated following his failure in the February governorship election in Anambra State.

Professor Akunyili, in a statement made available to the Nigerian Tribune at the weekend, in reaction to a publication that she had a quarrel with the youth during the burial ceremony of her elder sister, alleged that the former CBN boss was not happy with her because “he singled me out as the source of his failure to win the election.”

During the funeral ceremony of Mrs Gloria Ezenwanne, Soludo’s mother in-law, at the weekend, in Isuofia, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, some youths dismantled the tents mounted by Professor Akunyili to entertain her guests, while her security aides allegedly manhandled some of the youth and arrested them for the act.

Following the misunderstanding, senior police officers in the state and the traditional ruler of Isuofia, Igwe Okpara Unegbu, intervened and the minister took her guests and visitors to her father’s compound in Nanka community, Orumba North Local Government Area of the state.

Professor Akunyili, while reacting to the incident, said Soludo “brought that anger, grudge and frustration to the burial of his mother in-law, who is also my elder sister.

“All arrangements made by me and other siblings were vandalised by Soludo’s thugs.”

According to her, “they followed this up with text messages of blackmail to my guests, friends and well-wishers. When the environment in Isuofia became too insecure, tense and hostile, I quietly relocated to my father’s compound at Nanka, which is a few kilometres away just to avoid trouble.”

Akunyili added that “all efforts to make him understand that I alone cannot make him governor have failed. So he brought that anger, grudge and frustration to the burial of his mother-in-law.”

Reacting, Professor Soludo, through his Media Assistant, Bonaventure Melah, denied the allegations, saying that “they are laughable,”

He added that all the funeral arrangements were taken care of by Soludo and his wife, in conjunction with the immediate family of the Ezenwanne without Professor Akunyili contributing anything to it.”

Melah, in a telephone interview with the Nigerian Tribune, said one of the attributes that marked Soludo out during the electioneering was his rejection and condemnation of all forms of thuggery and acts of violence.”

OUR CAPTORS TOOK N1.6m FROM US, NOT N3m –OBA

By Ekene Okoro, Reporter, Lagos

Chairman, Lagos Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Wahaab Oba (Pictured above in the middle of co-captives, on Yellow-Blue Striped shirt), has dismissed the report that N3 million was seized from them by the kidnappers, saying their captors only collected about N1.6 million.

Speaking at his residence Oba, before he was taken to the headquarters of the State Security Service (SSS) at Shangisha, on Monday evening, Oba expressed surprise at media reports on Monday to the effect that the kidnappers collected N3million from them.

“I was surprised when I saw the report today (Monday) that the sum of N3 million was seized from us by the kidnappers.

“I must have been misunderstood. What I meant was that the total value of what the kidnappers seized from us would amount to about N2.5 million or N3 million in total value.

“At least about N1.6 million in cash was seized from us instantly while other properties such as vehicle, a Serena Space bus, laptop, camera, recorder, personnel effects, wrist watches, among other valuables should worth about N2 million.

“We got N1 million from Governor of Akwa Ibom, Mr. Godswill Akpabio as a fulfillment of his promise to assist us for a project we are embarking on in Lagos, while other money collected from all of us should be about N600,000.

“It is most likely the kidnappers acted based on information because they were getting information on us minute by minute with a threat to kill us anytime,” Oba stated,

Oba, who was in high spirit, apparently elated, said they got more afraid of their lives when they kept on seeing corpses along the bushes and forest they were made to pass through.

“But at the end we thank God, because we came out alive, hale and hearty,” he stated.

However, men of the state SSS whisked Oba in an unmarked van to their Shangisha office at about 4.p.m apparently to ask him some information on the N3 million and other essential information concerning their ordeal.

At about 6.p.m when Daily Independent left Oba’s residence, he was yet to return to rejoin his family.

There was a mild drama as his son and daughter refused to go back into the house after their father was taken away.

They instead stuck to their words to remain outside until their father’s return.

POLICE ARREST 400 KIDNAPPERS

BY Ifedayo Adebayo and Femi Adebesin-Kuti

In its ongoing effort to end kidnapping menace in the country, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has arrested over 400 kidnappers and rescued many victims from the clutches of criminals, the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Emmanuel Ojukwu, said in Abuja, on Wednesday.

In a statement, Mr. Ojukwu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, said the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ogbonna Onovo, has described the payment of ransom to secure the release of kidnap victims as an encouragement of the vice.

The statement cited Mr. Onovo’s displeasure with payment of ransom to the kidnappers, saying that the IGP has warned that the police would take “serious action against persons who encourage the vice” by ensuring such payment.

It, however, urged that cases of abduction should be reported promptly to the police, saying that useful information has helped the police and “the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has over 400 kidnappers in its custody and had rescued many victims from the clutches of criminals,” the statement added.

Also at its secretariat yesterday, the Lagos State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has maintained that it was optimistic that the four kidnapped journalists and driver would soon regain their freedom.

“Government should, however, rise up to tackle the problem of kidnapping,” said Deji Elumoye, the council’s vice-chairman.

No freedom yet

Speaking while receiving the delegations on solidarity visits from the state government and the Council of Lagos State Indigenes, Mr. Elumoye said that the national secretariat of the NUJ had temporarily relocated to Umuahia to address the problem. He also narrated how the union’s national president, Garba Mohammed, had received a call at 9 a.m. today from the kidnappers and was allowed to speak with the chairman of the state council, Wahab Oba.

“They are taking good care of us, but nothing is as good as having our freedom”, the vice chairman quoted Mr. Oba as saying.

According to the Lagos State delegation, which was led by the commissioner for information, Opeyemi Bamidele, “there is no reason for anyone, either for physical gains or to heighten the tension in the country, to allow himself or herself to be driven into doing the obnoxious crime.”

According to him, the state government is working with the federal government and other security agencies to ensure the safe return of the NUJ leaders.

“Kidnapping for ransom, trying to endanger lives and property in any manner, is not capable of providing employment or putting money into the pockets of people”, Mr. Bamidele said.

The commissioner, on behalf of the state governor, Babatunde Fashola, expressed the state government’s solidarity with the NUJ.

The convener of the Council of Lagos State Indigenes, Sumbo Onitiri, also expressed shock at the incident and advised the National Assembly to hasten the passage of the Freedom of Information (FOI) and anti-terrorism bills.

He described the incident as a “national menace” and suggested the passage of other bills that could improve the welfare of Nigerians.

An assistant director (Information), Office of Lagos State deputy governor, and a former president of the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Toro Oladapo, who accompanied the NUJ officials, consoled the wives of the kidnapped men, assuring them that their husbands would soon be released.

FASHOLA BLAMES RAIN FOR BAD ROADS

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, has blamed the rain for the bad roads in the state, begging Lagosians for understanding as the government will fix the roads after the rains are gone.

The governor said even in Europe, there are bad roads during the winter, saying that the situation was not peculiar to Lagos State alone.

“There was a bad winter in Europe. Immediately after it, almost all the roads were bad. They are now just fixing them,” he said.

According to Fashola, “in this period of increased rainfall, we want to say it once again that we are a coastal state which is very close to water and there is not much the state government can do until the rains are over.

“We have to stabilize and be prepared that immediately after the rains, we will intervene. That is why LASTMA men are there to help make the roads motorable. Even the process of producing bitumen is not sustainable in this wet weather.”

The governor spoke at a Retreat for cabinet members and the Permanent Secretaries in Lagos, Nigeria, saying that in the last three years, his administration had built more roads than even a country like Ghana had done.

He stressed the need for the existing roads to be maintained, adding that they had a lifespan which must be adhered to.

“Some are built to last between 15, 20 and 25 years, while some are feeder roads which are built on lower specifications and would need regular rehabilitation and maintenance.

“From the last quarter of last year till April this year, the state government carried out a lot of road repairs, patching and maintenance which the people did not complain about,” he stated, while appealing to the media to help in sharing information with the people on the need to understand that this was a rainy season.

He said it could only be left to the imagination what would have happened if Lagos goes without rains for eight months, adding that the people would not only complain but would also face the prospect of a dwindling source of water supply.

The governor sympathised with the people for the discomfort they were currently facing as a result of the heavy rains, saying that flooding normally occurs when there was tidal lock, depending on the area the people chose to live.

“You chose to live close to water. Those who chose to live in cold regions also live with the discomfort that snow and winter brings when they cannot go out or travel. It is only three months. The rains will subside and we will have our lives back,” Fashola said.

On the issue of flooding which had been reported in some areas in the state despite measures put in place, Fashola reiterated that one of the recent laws he had passed, the law on physical planning, would have huge impact on whether an area was flood prone or not and how it could be quickly drained.

He described the rainy season as a good season for farmers and fishermen who would not complain about this period, stressing that the season represents discomfort in the metropolis but a blessing in the rural areas.

“We also have ports in Lagos which we make profits from, but this comes with a cost. Lagos is two metres above the sea level and despite all the drainages that we have done, once the water level is higher than the drains, we will have the problem of floods. We have to be patient with nature to do its work.

“We should be thankful to God that no casualty or devastation has happened as we are seeing across the world. 19 people died in France last week from floods. Government continues to rise to those challenges. Those bad areas in Gbagada, Idi-Araba, ilasamaja we have conquered the flood problems in those areas and implemented solutions and we will continue to do our level best,” he stated.

Fashola also disclosed that the performance of the 2010 budget in the second quarter of the year was 80 percent, which is an improvement of the first quarter budget performance, which stood at 49 percent.

“We will continue to task ourselves to even do better by dedicating ourselves. We expect that if the revenue continues to perform, we will continue to use it to deliver services that will meet the hope and expectations of our people,” he said.

Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Ben Akabueze, said the state had done very well generally in terms of performance but was not fully on its target yet just as it had also done well with other sources of funding.

According to him, in the second quarter, the state took great advantage of the dry season to step up its project execution, stressing that this explained why its capital expenditure on performance grew and covered whatever shortfall it had in the first quarter.

Police arrest man for duping police force applicants

A man in Ondo state has been arrested for duping people seeking employment with the Nigeria police Force.

The men of the State Police Command yesterday paraded a 29-year-old man, Akinmoladun Emmanuel, who has allegedly duped several people seeking for job with the Nigerian Police Force.

Mr. Emmanuel was arrested based on the tip off given by some members of the public who were his victims.

The man, a native of Ode-Irele, in Irele local government area of Ondo State, was arrested at Isaac Adebanjo Hotel, along Oke Ijebu area of Akure metropolis.

He had lodged in the hotel for about two weeks, claiming to have been officially sent from the Inspector General of Police’s office in Abuja to assist applicants for recruitment.

Parading the suspect in Akure yesterday, the spokesperson of the command, Adeniran Aremu, said the suspect was arrested on Monday around 11am.

He added that the suspect, after he was interrogated, said he had collected various sums of money ranging from N20, 000 to N50, 000 from the victims, who were desperate to secure police job.

Some of the documents found in the possession of the suspects, according to Mr. Aremu, were: leg chains, police buttons and Lanyard, documents from Police Service Commission, Police Applicant forms, and other documents.

The state commissioner of police, Ballah Magaji Nassarawa, urged applicants seeking job with the Nigerian Police to be wary of fraudsters.

“I want to tell the applicants that ongoing recruitment into the Nigeria Police as recruit constables is free of charge. They should be wary of fraudulent ones that may want to dupe them in the guise of getting police job for them,” he said.

I’m ready for Eagles job, says Siasia

By Ben Efe

Beijing 2008 Olympics soccer silver winning coach, Samson Siasia has declared his interest to take over the management of the Eagles if given the job.

Siasia is a member of the caretaker committee appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan to oversee the affairs of Nigeria football after the President ordered all the national teams to withdraw from all FIFA events last week

Siasia said that he was more than ready to work and bring success to the country, like he did with the Flying Eagles in 2005 and the Olympic team in 2008.

“Why not? If Nigeria calls upon me to take over the saddle I will be more than ready. I have all it takes and I’m ready to go out of my way to make things work, just like I did with the Under-20 when I have to source for funds to keep the team going,”Siasia said at the weekend.

The former Eagles’ striker welcomed the government’s action on the Nigeria Football Federation, which will make the national teams not to taste international football action for two years. Siasia said that if it was a necessary sacrifice that will bring back the glory days of Nigeria football then the sacking of the NFF executive committee was a welcome development.

Siasia was a victim of the unprofessional conducted of those in Nigeria football administration. He was favorite to replace German coach, Berti Vogts in 2008 when he was sacked following poor results.

Siaisia and Keshi were Nigerians choice to lead the Eagles to the 2010 National Cup in Angola, but the NFF board thought otherwise. Coach Shuaibu Amodu was hired instead and he was ultimately sacked last February, due to unsatisfactory technical approach of the Eagles.

Noise Pollution: Lagos Moves Against Churches

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The Lagos State Government has banned churches in the state from using loud speakers outside the churches during their services as a result of the noise pollution they caused.

Government hinged its decision to ban use of outside speakers in order to reduce noise pollution and its attendant health hazards on the populace.

Special Assistant to the Governor on Christian Religious Matters, Rev. Sam Ogedengbe directed all religious leaders to ensure the removal of all speakers mounted outside the main auditorium of their religious houses.

At a meeting with religious leaders in the state, Ogedengbe stated that it was imperative for churches to comply with the directives to reduce the noise decibel after going through the heap of complaints received from the public over the consistent and unbearable noise generation by different religious centres throughout the state.

The Special Adviser condemned the deliberate spread of falsehood by some elements who said that the government was planning a clampdown on churches and mosques, saying this was far from the truth as government had always chosen the path of dialogue in its dealings with the people of the state.

“This session would enable various religious leaders contribute to the new measures to be adopted by the government to stem the volume of noise created by religious houses,” he said.

According to him, the state government had concluded plans to make sure that noise pollution in Lagos is regulated in the interest of public health.

“Some people ignorantly say there is no law against noise pollution and as such they could go all out to generate noise for attention. This is not true as there are enough rules in the books to deal with noise pollution. Apart from the rules, there is the need to create harmonious existence with their neighbours by considering their interests in all their programmes.

“The absence of this will create unnecessary tension which may be exploited by unscrupulous people to create religious unrest in the state,” he said while advising religious leaders to use sound proof materials in buildings to reduce the impact of noise in the neighbourhood.

“Sometimes we receive up to 50 complaints in a day across the state; in fact there was an instance when we got a complaint from a community where there were 17 churches and three mosques on a close. This is one of the reasons where government had to intervene to avert social unrest,” he said.

Ogedengbe said some religious centres had flouted abatement notices served on them to address environmental and physical planning issues brought against them.

He cited the building of religious homes in residential areas as against the original Town Planning as well as the wrong timing and high frequency of vigil as some of the environmental problems facing the state.

Police arrest 41 kidnap suspects, recover N4m ransom

From Ezedike Joshua, Port Harcourt

No fewer than 41 kidnap suspects have been arrested by the Rivers State Police Command during the last six months. Also, 138 suspected cultists and 45 pipeline vandals were rounded up and charged to court.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba, who gave the figures while briefing reporters in Port Harcourt, said the command had worked tirelessly to reduce the spate of crime in the state.

He decried the infiltration of criminals from the neighbouring Abia State. He noted that over 90 per cent of the crimes in Oyigbo, Etche and Eberi Omuma areas of the state were committed by suspects from Abia State.

“Almost 90 per cent of the crimes committed in Eberi Omuma, Etche, Oyigbo and Afam are coming from Abia State. I must tell you we’re living up to the challenges. In the last two months, no less than 20 hardened Abia based criminals have been arrested by the command,” he said.

He alleged that the suspects had been handed over to Abia State Police Command for prosecution.
The Commissioner, who pledged his commitment to reduce the crime rate in the state by improving on the response time to distress calls, urged the public to co-operate with the command by giving meaningful information that would lead to the arrest of suspected criminals in the state.

Speaking on the major challenges of the command, he urged the public to be confident in the police, especially when giving useful information. The commissioner said the attitude of his men towards work had been of great challenge, urging them to shun corruption. He said he had not been threatened or influenced by any VIP in the state and pledged to perform better with the help of the state government and the public.

ECOWAS leaders turn to solar energy

Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are exploring the use of solar energy, after an impressive presentation on it by one of their own, President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal, to their just-concluded summit in Sal, Cape Verde.
Consequently, they have tasked him to carry out the ground work on the matter.
In the meantime, the Nigerian chapter of the ECOWAS-backed West African Women Association (WAWA) has, after an interactive session on climate change, underlined the dangers of the phenomenon and proffered anti-dotes.
 In a special resolution by the mid-year summit, it ''mandates President Wade to (work) to realise the proposed (solar plants) for West Africa in order to ensure its self-sufficiency in clean and cheap solar energy''.
 The leaders also urged all member states to cooperate with the Senegalese leader to realise his dream of making West Africa self-sufficient in power through the massive use of solar energy.
 Specifically, the summit asked each member state to ''attach to him an engineer in solar energy, if possible, and a financial expert or accountant, with a view to establishing the Commission on Solar Energy that shall operate under his chairmanship and authority.''
 Wade, who will work in close collaboration with the ECOWAS Commission on the issue, is expected to report back to the Heads of state and government on the progress he has made on the project.
 In his presentation, he stressed the need for African nations to establish solar power plants to take advantage of the abundance sunshine on the continent.
WAWA Nigeria Focal Person Mrs. Beatrice Obiageli Ubeku, in an opening address at the interactive session and official commissioning of its office inside the ECOWAS Liaison Complex, in Lagos called for concerted action against climate change.
The interactive workshop with theme: “Women Dialogue on Climate Change – Health and Socio-Economic Implications,” was opened by a representative of the President’s wife, Mrs. Patience Goodluck. Also present or represented on the occasion were the President of the African Round Table and Chairman NEPAD Group, Dr. Bamanga Tukur; Minister of Environment John Odey; his Women Affairs & Social Development counterpart, Iyom Josephine Anenih; the Chairman of EFCC; the Regional President/Co-ordinator of WAWA, Hon. Mrs. Khady Tall Fall; The Director, ECOWAS Commission Mr. Vossa Goudjo; the WAWA Rep, Africans in Diaspora), NGOs, WAWA (Nigeria Chapter) board of trustees chairperson, Mrs. Olatoyin Olakunri, Chief Dr. Opral Mason Benson, Chief Mrs. Pansy Olakanpo and Chief (Mrs.) Agnes Ojehomon as well as other officials and stakeholders.
According to Ubeku who is also the CEO, Women Care Association of Nigeria (WOCAN), “the dialogue couldn’t have been more relevant as global awareness is on the increase on the situation of our changing world due to natural and manmade disasters and effect on environment. As concerned women, we do not want to fold our arms until we are adversely affected in Nigeria we want to be involved at the community level mainstreaming to global efforts and solution. Women and children tend to suffer most during adverse situations as drought, famine, flood, earthquake, wars, migration and vulnerable to most communicable and non-communicable diseases.
“The current economic meltdown and structural financial adjustments is having its effect on individuals, families, households and the nations of the world as poverty increases burden of diseases as AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria, Cancers as poverty as it is estimated that 60 per cent of Nigerians live in rural areas.”
UNFPA Executive Director, Thoraya Ahmed Obaid noted that environment damage “is one of the most inequitable risks of our time”.
The carbon footprint of the poorest billion people on Earth is three per cent of the world’s total, yet it is the poor, especially poor women, who will bear the disproportionate brunt of climate change, she said.
Obaid added: “For many people, especially poor women in poor countries, climate change is here and now” she said. “Women work hard to keep their households together. They fetch the water, find the food and the fuel to cook it, and clean up afterwards. They watch their children’s health and care for their illness. In recent years, both food and fuel have been harder to find. The available water carries parasites. Malaria is creeping into areas that used to be mosquito – free; and flood, farm products are diminishing, rising seas and drought present growing challenges.
The report recommends that countries invest in green technology and reduce emissions, but says they should also empower women to make their own decisions and be involved in public decisions that affect their lives. Nations should invest in women by ensuring alternatives to wood and imported fuel; secure clean water supplies; better roads; access to education for girls; and access to health care, including reproductive health services, especially for women.
“Helping women to make their own decisions about family size would protect their health, make their lives easier, help put their countries on a sustainable path towards development – and ensure lower greenhouse – gas emissions in the long run.“
Odey in a goodwill message presented by the Ministry’s Zonal Coordinator, Mrs. Iniobong Abiola-Awe, underscored the precise role of women and children in the on-going climate change issue. She stressed the need for public awareness, in educating the populace on the causes and how to protect women and children from the sudden change of the climate.
Highlights of WAWA’s communiqué after the workshop were read by Chief Ubeku who said:
• We all agreed that climate change is caused naturally and due to negatives of mankind on environment;
• climate change has adverse effect on women and children as vulnerable group;
• there should be alternative source of energy to reduce green house emission by planting of trees;
• climate change affects the health of women and children through communicable and non-communicable diseases;
• that climate change has adverse socio-economic impact which increases poverty level;
• that there are policies on ground but not decentralised, not enforced;
• there must be partnership and network of all Stakeholders – Government, NGOs, CBOs and Civil Society Organisations / the Grassroots;
• media involvement-building capacity of the media to promote and enhance the advocacy on issues affecting our people through Climate Change;
• women must be involved in planning especially at grassroots level; and
• continuous capacity/empowerment programme for stakeholders.”

2011: No Governorship Election In 9 States -INEC

Written by Ayodele Adesanmi





















THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has put to rest the controversy over the participation of some states in the governorship election in 2011.

The states are Bayelsa, Cross Rivers, Adamawa, Sokoto, Ekiti and Kogi, due to the governorship rerun which took place in the respective states.

Two other states, Edo and Ondo, would not also participate because of the swearing-in dates of the current governors of the states.

Anambra State is also excluded, since the INEC had conducted governorship election in the state this year.

Consequently, the INEC would now conduct governorship election in 27 states out of 36 states of the federation in 2011.

The 27 states are those which governors did not have their victories upturned at the various appeal court across the country, consequent upon which made them not to participate in any rerun.

In a reply to letter written by a citizen who wanted who seek clarification on what happened to Kogi State, the electoral body said the election would not hold in the state in 2011.

“I am directed to inform you that the governorship election will not hold in Kogi State in 2011. The tenure of the present governor of Kogi State expires in 2012, having been sworn into office on March 29, 2008,” INEC said.

40 DIRECTORS TO GO IN INEC

By Richard Ihediwa

Professor Attahiru Jega, new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has commenced the reorganisation of the commission, even as about 40 directors, who have attained retirement age, are set to be eased out of the commission.
Following directives from the new chairman, the commission is to embark on system-wide audit of the activities of its departments to enable the new administration arrive at key decisions on the structure of the electoral body ahead of the 2011 elections.
An impeccable source in the commission told Peoples Daily yesterday that out of the 61 directors of the commission, no fewer than 40 have attained retirement age and will have to leave soon.
“The new chairman has just resumed work, so he needs time to study the place and take key decisions on the way forward; but I can tell you that out of about 61 directors we have across the country, there are about 40 of them that have attained retirement age and they will have to go soon, in line with the service rules”, the source said.
Apart from retirement age, other directors are likely to leave the commission in line with the new civil rule which provides that directors who have spent eight years in the same cadre should voluntarily retire or would be compulsorily retired by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.
It was however gathered that some other top officials of the commission may also be made to retire following their perceived involvement in partisan politics during the 2007 elections.
Such officials include those whose names appear in electoral petitions for alleged misconduct in electoral matters.
The imminent clean up is said to be against the backdrop of marching orders from the new INEC boss, who, at a meeting with top officials of the commission on Wednesday, stressed that INEC under him must be restructured in a way that will guarantee credible elections in 2011.
Jega was said to have emphasized to them that the commission must be guided by the rule of law, and will make no room for any compromises in the discharge of its function.
The new INEC Chairman, it was gathered, handed the same order to the national and state electoral commissioners, especially allegation of accusations that some of them were members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Jega, in his maiden address to staff of the commission on Wednesday, declared his decision to embark on a comprehensive restructuring of the commission to ensure an efficient and uncompromising workforce that will make the commission truly independent and impartial, ahead of the 2011 elections.
Peoples Daily checks yesterday, show that all the departments in the commission have started preparing their materials ahead of briefing sessions with the Chairman and national commissioners next week.
When contacted, INEC Director, Public Affairs, Mr. Emmanuel Umenga, said he is not aware of the imminent retirement of officials, adding that “the new chairman just assumed duty and he is taking his time to address issues in the commission.”