All Posts in "Day: June 19, 2021"

Nigeria’s Questionable Electricity Export

Recently, member-  countries
of the West African Power Pool (WAPP) converged in Abuja  to deliberate on the plan to build 875 kilometre of 330 kilovolts ( 330kV ) West African countries sub-continental  transmission electric power grid  infrastructure  from Nigeria to connect four other West African countries up to Burkina Faso.
The announcement of this project called, the North Core Interconnection Project, sent some shocks to stakeholders in the Nigerian power sector, particularly, the Nigerian electricity consumers who are yet to get any value for what they pay for electricity.
But, according to the Chairman,
Executive Board of WAPP and the acting Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, Engr. Sule Abdulaziz,  the power meant for this export project is the unutilised electricity across the various Generation Companies (GenCos) that are domiciled in Nigeria .
He said:”  New GenCos are coming on board just to , invest in generation of power for the purposes of export electricity to other West African countries and at the same time the existing will witness expansion of the production / output capacity  in order  to key into the lofty deal” .
What is more of concern is the revelation of the WAPP Secretary General, Siengui Apollinaire Ki, that the 570 million US dollar project is being financed by the World Bank.( WB ),the International Finance Corporation ( IFC )  and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
 Mr Ki precisely said the multilateral donors will be funding the segments for each of the five countries – Nigeria, Niger, Benin, Togo and Burkina Faso.
This is another syndicated  concessionary loan /credit facilities  that the Federal Government Nigeria (FGN) will be taking from the lending  group,assigned to it just to build a line for power export.
This is also came when the Nigerian power sector is crumbling over market and tariff shortfall in excess of N2 trillion.
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The World Bank is also giving about $2 billion dollar loan to Nigeria for the improvement of  power sector,while the German government is providing commercial loans for the Siemens Presidential Power Initiative.
These loans are already raising concerns as to their repayment means yet, the government is considering more loans to build the North Core Transmission Line ,cutting across different community and different states  up to Nigerian border with Niger Republic , in Kebbi state.
The World Bank recently announced that Nigeria is now the highest country in the world with citizens not having access to electricity after it overtook Congo Democratic Republic ( Congo DR ) in a recent survey.
 Despite this poor scorecard, the Nigerian government is ready to supply electricity free of charge to  other West African countries who constitute the  member countries of WAPP. .
Lending voice and credence to this move,Nigerian Minister of Power,
Engr. Sale Mamman, during the inaugural  Joint Ministerial Council Meeting (JMCM) session of the WAPP workshop, said about two third of the about 600 million,.
that it ,about 400 million people  in the West African sub-Saharan Africa do not have access to power, causing increased poverty and poor infrastructure of which women and children are more  vulnerable.
The minister didn’t hide his preference for  the project, saying the government will give all its support  so that  the construction can begin in August 2021.
Sale Mamman  also said 611 communities under the line route will have power delivered to them too.
The ECOWAS commissioner for Energy and Mines, Mr Sediko Douka, at the meeting in Abuja also said the North Core transmission line will be carrying 450 megawatts (MW) of electricity initially and can be expanded to 600MW in the first 10 years.
On the benefits of the sub-continental regional transmission line ,the WAPP chairman said:“Nigeria has the greatest advantage among these countries because the country’s electricity is going to be exported from Nigerian power generation companies. So from that point of view, the revenue is going to be enhanced and a lot of people will be employed in Nigeria.”
Resetting The Power Sector
Nigeria at this moment struggles with power supply with the majority of the 80 to 90 million Nigerians with access to electricity having below eight hour daily supply, says the World Bank.
 According to grid records, the highest peak electricity on the grid only rose to 5,800MW in the year 2021 but the average energy distributed has been around 3,500MW to 4,000MW recently.
Even when Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission ( NERC ), compelled the DisCos to bench marked performances based on
 Service Reflective Tariff (SRT),the hours of supply are not commensurate to what the consumers pay as tariff,while the DisCos continue to remit paltry sums of less than 45 percent to GenCos and managers of the Nigerian Electricity Grid Pool ,
The Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company Plc ( NBET ) .
 These market issues must be first solved to ensure the availability of this utility service in Nigeria, first!
No matter the benefits of the energy export initiative, the Federal Government of Nigeria  ought to find a way to  recalibrate,
 re-configure  and reset the post privatization Nigerian power sector and by the same token  instil market discipline among the operators and market participants with a view to delivering improved services to Nigerians first before considering more energy export at this point in time.
Without mincing words, it is wrong timing to start  this mission now,because Nigeria now needs additional power and the essence of the North Core Project of WAPP is for exchange of power.
Maybe by the time the project is completed hopefully in 2023, we might be able to export power,but certainly not at this material time.
It is also worthy of note that Nigeria currently sells about 300MW of electricity to international customers through the 330kV Ikeja West (Lagos) to Sakete (Benin Republic) transmission line.
These International  customers namely, NIGELEC (Niger), CEB of Benin and CEET of Togo, owed Nigeria millions of dollars,
and even at a recent time, sought a write off of the  debt. Yet, the country is harnessing its energy and resources for them, and adding Burkina Faso
It could be true that there is unused power on the grid as reports show that about 2,000MW of electricity is said to be unutilized daily across the GenCos in Nigeria and could be exported. However, a country that has not met local demands ought not to spearhead energy export,especially to debtor countries who see and treat such offer / commercial transaction as energy largesse for the  Big Brother Africa and charitable donor that prides itself at the giant of Africa.
What Nigeria and its power sector regulator – Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission should do at this material time, is to stop the disservice to Nigerians and rapidly solidify the Eligible Customer policy, to allow consumers opt out of the weak , ineffective  and monopolistic distribution  franchising and get their power directly from GenCos / IPPs ( Grid & Off Grid ) ..
This way, the average 2,000MW unutilised power on the national grid daily can be supplied to industrial clusters which could in turn cut down the 40 percent cost of production,as  electricity accounts for 50% of  production of goods and services per the claim of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and the Organised Private Sectors ( OPS ).
The World Bank, this week announced that rising cost of goods and services have pushed 2/3rd  of  Nigerians into poverty and 80% of Nigerians are living  below poverty below
United Nations benchmarked poverty indicators of living of less than $1 USD per day.
 One thing that can alleviate this condition is the improvement of the day -to –  business of power supply for  industrial and domestic consumption which could further  boost  the ease of doing business in Nigeria with attendant multipliers effects on value chains,
 while more firms will spring up to create jobs.
The government can also decentralise the transmission grid  management and break them into regional hubs that may be tied to  regional  economic zones  and have private investors’ stakes  in its management.
The South West economic  zone or industrial clusters in Lagos,Ogun and Oyo States account for  40% of non -oil sector economic activities in Nigeria.The South East  economic zone  of Enugu , Aba and Onitsha  account for 30% of non -oil sector  economic activities in Nigeria.
The North West Zone of Kaduna and Kano account for 10% of non-oil sector  economic activities in Nigeria.South South Port Harcourt ,Warri and Benin account for 5% of non- oil sector  economic activities in Nigeria.
Besides,North Central, Abuja , the Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa State account  for 5% of economic activities in Nigeria.
Decentralization of grid management with more investments by  a private sector- led transmission grid managers expected to build double circuit or triple circuit transmission networks to provide  a more robust network and ending the prevalent grid system collapses, disturbances and  instability  which had occurred for over 130 times in the last 12 years.
The DisCos’ franchise areas should be further reviewed with the aim of creating more DisCos to break the franchise monopoly of the current 11 DisCos.
That way, electricity supply services can be improved faster and Nigerian electricity sector would be on the right track of promoting
competitive electricity markets and by and large, a broader spectrum of open market economy with inherent global indexes of competitiveness.  .
But,there is even a quick win to this – which is more or less of  a low hanging fruits . That is the Independent Electricity Distribution Network (IEDN) policy of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC ).
The IEDN can be activated massively as a quick fix and  low hanging fruits .
 NERC should licence more IEDN firms and create franchises for them to compete with DisCos on delivering stable , qualitative , safe and efficient  power supply to Nigerians.
Nigeria should also increase the capacity from the hydro power plants meant to serve mainly the rural poor ( R1 ) categories of end users of electricity in Nigeria  as not doing this is a disservice to the citizens and the underserved rural dwellers  .
 This is because the hydro power plants are presently subsidised.
We also believe that there should be a political will to enforce utilisation of the power by the DisCos instead of the brazen load rejection by them.
If we are really serious in getting power to Nigerians, the deliberate load rejection should have been seriously sanctioned by the regulator ( NERC ).
The government should pay more attention to urgently making the power sector work especially with the coming of the African Free Continental Trade Area Agreement (AfCTA).
The targeted off-takers of finished goods and services by countries that are signatory to the African Continental Free Agreement is Nigeria.
 Apart from AfCFTA , there are lots of bilateral and multilateral Free Trade Zone and Free Trade Protocols between Nigeria and some countries like Peoples Republic of  China  ,
UAE , Asia , Pacific  EU countries ,  UK and others  aimed at encouraging free inflow and outflow of  cash,trade,goods and services  between Nigeria others.
However , there are evidently pronounced
trade imbalance  where all finished goods and services from EU countries, Asia ,US and other African continents would be dumped on us if and when we continued to pay lip services to fixing the power sector challenges .
Our Submission :
It is on this basis that we are calling on the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN),
 the Minister of Power, Engr. Sale Mamman,
and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), to urgently expedite action on the practical strategies that will put the power sector on the pathway of progress,while considering the suspension of more energy export plans earmarked for WAPP by all and sundry .
We are saying for instance, all the GenCos that have
#Power Purchase Agreements (PPA),
#Put Call Option Call Agreement (PCOA),
# Partial Risks Guarantee (PRG),
#Take or Pay Obligation and any form of Power Sales Agreements, designed for the Nigerian Electricity Market (NEM), and are already  contracted, should not be eligible to export already contracted power
which Nigeria has worked out tariff for through the Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO) and the vesting contract and technically speaking ,are already subsidised grid sourced energy .
This is because the government has in one form or the other subsidized the cost of producing this already Contracted  electricity through consumers’ and taxpayers’ monies under the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET), the Nigerian power pool and the appropriate Vesting Contracts .
Hence, such energy cannot be sold to other countries in the name of export as it will amount to short changing Nigeria and a breach of contract.
Any power firm that would need to export power or that is desirous of doing so , should build its transmission asset and acquire new turbines, separate from the ones already connected to the Nigerian National Power  Grid  Infrastructure and should not be covered by a Nigerian PPA or at worst ,get its Power Sales Agreement / Power Purchase Agreements with the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company PLC (NBET ) , Novated …
This is the way to go and the New NORMAL .
Kunle Kola OLUBIYO,President, Nigeria Consumer Protection Network .
(For and  On behalf of  End  Users   Of
 Electricity  In Nigeria   ).
CONSUMERS’ HOUSE ,
House 7 ,  Oyo Street ,
Area 2 ,  Garki District ,
  Abuja , West Africa .
Online Editor by — June 19, 2021 in Opinion 0
Sanwo-Olu Commissions New Rehabilitated Roads Network In Ikoyi

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Friday commissioned the newly rehabilitated Thompson Avenue, Milverton Road, McDonald Road and Lateef Jakande Road, all in Ikoyi, Eti Osa Constituency 2 of the state..
Speaking at the event in Ikoyi, Lagos, Sanwo-Olu said the delivery of the projects was a testament to his administration’s resolve to improving people’s living conditions through well-thought-out policies and programmes.
He said: “Our administration is cognizant of the fact that strategic investment in infrastructure is the foundation for long-term growth. We equally understand that, provision of adequate road infrastructure will generate a strong economic base for improved productivity and standard of living.
“Given the economic importance of Ikoyi as the real estate hub of Lagos and to address the perennial flooding issues peculiar to the axis, we formally flagged off the regeneration work last year July, comprising upgrade of the roads and drainage channels in the area. Today, it is gratifying to note that, we have re-engineered and reconstructed these roads network for efficiency and improved traffic flow. We have also addressed perennial flooding in the area.”
Sanwo-Olu, on the spot, approved immediate rehabilitation work on three other arterial roads in the area, including Cooper Road, McPherson Road, and Queen’s Drive to further improve traffic connectivity in Ikoyi.
He disclosed that similar regeneration projects were currently being carried out in other areas of the state, including Lekki-Epe, Victoria Island, Alimosho, Kosofe, Ojo, Lagos Island, Badagry, Ikorodu and Ikeja GRA.
This, he said, is part of the efforts by his government to bring development to all communities in the state.
He urged  commuters and residents to protect the roads from activities that may damage their features and designs.
He added: “Maintenance of these roads is the collective responsibility of the government and members of the community. We are ready to collaborate with the Residents’ Association and Community Development Association to develop and promote local initiatives for the community to participate in the maintenance of this network of roads to reduce road damage and infrastructure theft.”
Online Editor by — June 19, 2021 in News 0
Be Ready To Manage Severe Weather Condition,NIMET Tells Airline Operators

NiMet Warns Airline Operators Over Bad Weather - AdeLove.com|Best Nigerian Blog
The Director General, of the Nigerian Meterological Agency (NIMET),has warned that the onset of the rainy season would come with associated risks and dangers cautioning pilots and airline operators to  pilots to be ready to manage severe weather conditions.
Matazu, who gave the warning during a press briefing in Abuja,  explained that  the information became necessary to sensitize operators especially pilots, on the dangers associated with rainy season.
He said the  adverse weather activities associated with the onset period include high intensity storm within a short duration of time, high turbulence that may damage properties, among others.
He stated  that the season would be characterised by electrical charges in the atmosphere that would cause thunderstorms, adding that there would be series of microbursts incidents at airports.
He added:”So these microbursts which happen around the airports cause windshear problems and that is why we have an alert system by which we issue alerts to pilots through the Air Traffic Controllers.Now, the negative implications of these weather issues include the fact that they cause severe turbulence during descent or at certain flying levels. You can also experience clear air turbulence and it happens during the onset period of the rainy season.”
Matazu noted that heavy rains during the season would make the surface of airport runways wet leading to skidding, impaired horizontal visibility as well as affect ground operations.
The NiMet boss stated that his agency had issued out special alerts to airlines and other operators across all airports in Nigeria and would continue to issue same as the rainy season sets in fully.
He, however, stated that the agency had been issuing weather updates to Air Traffic Controllers at intervals of 30 minutes daily and that the updates were relayed to pilots.
“So we want pilots to be conscious of precautionary measures and adhere to standard operating procedures to ensure safety in aviation,” he said.
Online Editor by — June 19, 2021 in Aviation 0
Man Rapes 85-Year-Old Step Mother In Ekiti

Police in Ekiti have arrested one   Durodola Ogundele,for raping his 85 year old stepmother in Ekiti
Ogundele,65,forcefully had sexual intercourse with the victim twice that after applying the herbal medicine on her legs,according to the Police Public Relations Officer ,Sunday Abutu.
Abutu stated further that the  Commissioner of Police,Tunde Mobayo has ordered the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and  the suspect be charged to court.
He said: ” The Ido-Osi Divisional Police Headquarters, on Wednesday 16th June, 2021 at about 1300hrs, arrested a 65yr old man, one Durodola Kayode Ogundele of Ayetoro-Ekiti,  for forcefully having sexual intercourse with his 85yr old Step Mother in her room. It was gathered that the suspect, who is a son to the victim’s late husband, came in to her room on 15/06/2021 to assist her in applying herbal medicine on her legs as usual due to her leg pain”.
Online Editor by — June 19, 2021 in Crime/Metro 0
Bayelsa Seeks  South Korea Support In Agric, Maritime 

Bayelsa Solicits South Korea's Support In Agric, Maritime – Independent Newspaper Nigeria
The Bayelsa State Government is seeking the partnership and support of South Korea in areas of agricultural, maritime and infrastructure development of the state.
This was the outcome of a meeting between the state Governor Douye Diri and the South Korean Ambassador to Nigeria, Kim Young-Chae, in Abuja on Friday.
Diri, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Alabrah, said that given its maritime similarity with Bayelsa, the state also needed the South Korean expertise and partnership in developing deep-sea fishing, aquaculture and rice cultivation.
He said the state was equally interested in partnership in education, science and technology as well as in oil and gas.
Diri said, “Bayelsa has huge potential in agriculture and marine resources. We seek foreign investment in aquaculture and deep-sea fishing. Our terrain is good for aquaculture to thrive as well as rice cultivation and production with the large expanse of land already in Peremabiri and Sampou.
“We are trying to revive the culture of farming in our state. The government is interested in commercial farming as against the culture of subsistence farming that a lot of our people engage in.
“The South Korean expertise is also required in the production of plastics, in science and technology and the oil and gas sector.”
The governor noted that such partnership would help in empowering youths of the state that would be given training in order to check youth restiveness and militancy.
In his remarks, the South Korean Ambassador, Kim Young-Chae, said that South Korea nationals work with Daewoo, which is located in Bayelsa, and other firms in different states of the Niger Delta.
The envoy, who invited a delegation from Bayelsa to the 2021 Korea oil and gas summit in November, said the state was among six states in Nigeria to benefit from the South Korea government-funded scholarship scheme.
Online Editor by — June 19, 2021 in Niger Delta 0
NDLEA Seeks Special Court For Drug Abuse

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rted),has disclosed his agency’s to establish  special court to try persons involved in drug abuse in the country.
Marwa ,who  spoke during a  meeting with critical stakeholders held in Lokoja , koas part of his familiarisation tour of Kogi State Command of the agency, lamented the high rate  of illicit drugs demand among Nigerians,  attributing the  incidence of insecurity across the country to  illicit drugs consumption.
He  warned parents to regularly  monitor the activities of their wards and children and advised religious bodies to intensify their preachings and counseling  at their adherents against indulging in the illicit drugs which has become a national tragedy.
He said that banditry , insurgency , kidnappings and anti social behaviours of the citizenry are due  high consumption of the psychotropic drugs.
The chairman urged all stakeholders to partner with the agency to fight the scourge which is impacting negatively on the social economic lives of the country .
He said  the NDLEA under his watch is determined to reduce  its  production , distribution and consumption of the drugs  to its bearest minimum.
According to him, the  NDLEA is working assiduously  to prevent  people from having access  to  the drugs by confiscating  and destroying the illicit drugs as he is committed to smashing drugs supply chains.
He described the drug demand consumption level of the country as alarming, insisting that all stakeholders have critical roles to play in bringing down the demand .
He said the process to reducing drug intake and abuse starts and rest with the family unit, called on parents to live by example.
He advised parents on the need to  regularly carry out drug test for intending couples as a way of checking drug intake and abuse.
Online Editor by — June 19, 2021 in Law/Human Rights 0
Supreme Court Quashes  Conviction Of 3 Lawyers 

The Supreme Court of Nigeria,has set aside the conviction of three senior lawyers over an alleged professional misconduct
The embattled lawyers,were banned  Mamman Waziri, Olayori Muideen and Dr Osaretin George Izegbuwa,  by the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPPDC) over various allegation of misconduct in the discharge of their professional duties.
In a unanimous judgement, Justice Ejembi held that the actions of the LPPDC panels which led to the disciplinary measures against  the three lawyers were not consistent with provisions of the law.
Justice Eko faulted the conviction of the lawyers on various grounds mainly on the composition of the panels.
It was found out  that some of the panel members who endorsed the verdict against the lawyers were found not to have participated in the whole proceedings as required by law.
He observed that the composition of the LPPDC panels were too many and counselled that a panel should not have more than three or four members to ensure proper attendance.
He  ordered that the three lawyers be made to face different panels to be constituted by the LPPDC.
In separate judgments, the apex court panels voided and  set aside the punitive measures handed down on the lawyers having been done in violation of provisions of laws guiding disciplinary issues.
Online Editor by — June 19, 2021 in Law/Human Rights 0
LG OLED Partners  ViacomCBS Networks  Africa  On Quality Content 

 
LG Electronics, one of the global leaders in consumer electronics and global multimedia entertainment powerhouse, ViacomCBS Networks Africa (VCNA) have officially announced and formalized their advertising and sponsorship deal.
The details of the partnership between the two brands include LG OLED brand advertisements across VCNA channels from MTV Base, BET Africa, Comedy Central, and CBS Reality – as well as LG OLED brand sponsorship of key programming contents on MTV Base.
Speaking on the partnership, Mr Hari Elluru, Head, Corporate Marketing Manager, LG Electronics West Africa Operations, stated that, “The LG OLED partnership with VCNA is a testament to LG’s drive and passion as Nigeria’s leading Home Entertainment Consumer Electronics brand to connect with its broad customer base through platforms that have premium reach and are impactful.”
He disclosed that the philosophy of LG’s mantra – ‘life’s good’ – revolves around people, sincerity, understanding our customers and offering optimum solutions; noting that the partnership will enhance the LG OLED TV brand to further tell its story. “To create value-added solutions which brings greater convenience and enjoyment to our consumers, LG OLED TV (Gallery design) draws its inspiration from art, entertainment and technological innovation around the world. Working with the VCNA brands reinforces our strong reputation as a people-centric company that can make customers smile.”
“At LG, we are looking at the future, we are working hard on developing innovative products aimed at improving daily life and helping you on your journey to a better well-being and sustainability. We believe that the generations of today and tomorrow are capable of incredible things”, Mr. Elluru submitted.
Speaking on the partnership, Country Manager for Nigeria at VCNA, Mr. Bada Akintunde-Johnson, said:”We are delighted to formalize our partnership with LG officially. Although they have partnered with us in one capacity or another in the past year, this deal offers a bigger playing field for both parties and provides an avenue to strengthen our companies’ relationship. With the ball already set in motion, we eagerly anticipate the great strides we will make as partners in 2021.”
While in the past, the LG brand has collaborated with the youth music led channel , MTV Base, on strategic on-air and digital engagement initiatives such as MTV Base December Christmas Giveaways, New Music Friday, Top 10 Street Anthems etc., the partnership is poised to do a lot more that would further contribute to the successes of both brands in the market.
With more than half the population of Africa under the age of 18, the media and entertainment industry consistently drive creativity and innovation to connect young audiences with cross-platform content, hoping to grow today’s generation of increasingly digitally native youths into tomorrow’s brand-loyal consumers.
Through its collaboration with MTV Base, LG OLED TV will actively engage generation Z consumers in Nigeria, sharing its message of sophisticated luxury with the digital generation.
Online Editor by — June 19, 2021 in Brands&Marketing 0
Proposed Amendment Of  Press Council Act Threat To Media Freedom-Group

Proposed amendment to Press Council A – Realnews Magazine
Four media freedom organizations have opposed the proposed amendment of the Nigerian Press Council Act by the National Assembly saying the measures contained in the amendment Bill seek to make the Government the arbiter of truth.
The organizations also said the development  would also subject the entire media sector in Nigeria to the control of the Minister of Information and Culture in violation of internationally accepted norms and standards.
The organizations, comprising the International Press Centre (IPC), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), the Centre for Media Law and Advocacy (CMLA), and the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ), outlined their objections to the measures in a “Joint Memorandum” they presented to the House of Representatives Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values at a public hearing in Abuja on the Proposed Bill for An Act to Amend the Nigerian Press Council Act.
Presented by Mr. Lanre Arogundade, IPC’s Executive Director, on their behalf, the groups said although regulation is necessary in “this age of fake news and hate speech”,  such regulation should not erode media independence or freedom and should not be unduly punitive, adding that the “regulator must also be free of the stranglehold of the powers that be, political or other interests, so that it can judiciously adjudicate in matters bothering on the infringement of the code of ethics of the profession of journalism.”
In the Memorandum signed by Mr. Arogundade as well as Mr. Edetaen Ojo, MRA’s Executive Director; Mr. Richard Akinnola, Executive Director of CMLA; and Mr. Dapo Olorunyomi, PTCIJ Executive Director, the organizations noted that although masquerading as regulation, the proposals contained in the amendment Bill are aimed at restricting freedom of expression and media freedom.
They complained that the amendments as currently proposed would give exclusive powers on the composition of the Board of such sensitive body like the press council whose independence is of paramount importance, to the President and the Minister without confirmation by the National Assembly unlike what obtains with other regulatory bodies such as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Besides, the organizations said, the amendments seek to empower the Council to ensure truth and genuineness in reporting, which would make a Council dominated by Government appointees and controlled by the Government the arbiter of truth.
According to them, the proposed amendment to the functions of the council has the additional effect of making the Nigerian media a department of the Federal Ministry of Information and subjecting the entire media sector to the control of the Minister by giving him the power to approve a national Press Code and standards to guide conduct of print media, related media houses and media practitioners.
The organisations objected to the highly punitive measures which can be taken by the Council against media houses and media practitioners for alleged violation of the press code without judicial intervention, saying they constitute a potential threat to press freedom and media survival as they could be used as a political weapon against the media.
They criticized the proposal to empower the council to “receive, process and consider applications for the establishment, ownership, and operation of print media and other related media houses” as a violation of section 39 of the Constitution, which gives everyone the right to own, establish and operate any medium, and called on the Committee to reject the proposals on the composition and functions of the Council.
They suggested that the power to determine sanctions relating to huge fines should be vested in the courts and not the Council, adding that the provision relating to revocation of license for alleged publication of fake news should be removed from the Act as decisions on appropriate sanctions for such offences should belong to the courts.
Online Editor by — June 19, 2021 in Media 0
FG’s Weak Response To Rescue  Tegina Pupils Disgusting -CHRICED

CHRICED – Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education
The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) strongly condemns the response and current approach of the Federal and State Governments to the plight of the abducted 136 pupils of Tanko Salihu Islamiyya School Tegina, Niger State.
 The pupils were kidnapped from their school premises in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State on 30th April, 2021.
Executive Director of the group,Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi,expressed disgust that several weeks after the abduction,the government has neither demonstrated serious action, nor pushed hard enough to successfully track their abductors and rescue the children.
This reality has left the parents stranded and distraught,he said,adding that the embattled parents of the children in captivity, have been resorting to various self-help measures, including going to churches and mosques, to beg for monetary assistance to pay the N200 million ransom being demanded by the bandits.
He said:” There can be no mincing words about the fact that the government, at both federal and state levels are failing in their responsibilities to these vulnerable children and their parents. The situation of the Tegina children follows a long pattern of lack of decisive action to address cases of kidnapping in schools and places of learning”
He added that the weak response to the government whenever abductions occur has been making criminals bolder, as they reckon that they would be under no pressure from the authorities when they commit their dastardly acts of criminality.
“While the position on non-payment of ransom to kidnappers, is commendable, CHRICED is however of the reasoned opinion that it is unacceptable for the government has been slow in taking decisive action to stop the outlaws. CHRICED believes it is not enough for the government to be issuing statements condoling or sympathising with the victims of armed banditry. In line with Section 14(2b) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.” It is only when the government lives up to this constitutional responsibility that it can derive legitimacy from the people.
“It is equally important to make the point that the whole world is watching developments in Nigeria. The spate of kidnaps, and violent attacks on places of learning gives Nigeria a very bad rating in the comity of nations. All the talk about ease of doing business, and the push to attract investments would come to naught, if government continues to project a lack of resolve in dealing with the security crisis assailing the country. Recently, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), expressed deep concern over the fate of the abducted school children, some of which according to the agency, are as young as three years old.
“It is painful that Nigeria has reached such a pathetic point that the safety of citizens can no longer be guaranteed. It is however not too late for the government to take decisive steps to rescue the children abducted in Niger State. They are children of Nigeria, and the country cannot afford to let them down in this moment. Importantly therefore, all efforts must be galvanised to put a permanent halt to this malady before it consumes the entire education system”
Online Editor by — June 19, 2021 in News 0