NHRC Boss Decries Failure To Prosecute Those Behind Hate Speech

The acting Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Tony Ojukwu has 

lamented over the non-prosecution of perpetrators of hate speech and election violence in Nigeria.

The NHRC boss said that the non-prosecution of these perpetrators has largely encouraged the use of hate speech in election campaigns and other related social activities.

Ojukwu said this on Monday at the Federal High Court complex in Kaduna State during the Public Hearing by the Commission.

This situation, Ojukwu said further, is detrimental to the country’s socioeconomic developmentThe Commission at the Public Hearing highlighted cases of hate speeches and electoral violence which took place during and after the 2015 general elections in the North West region of the country, with a view to forestalling reoccurrence.

The history of hate speech and incitement to violence in Nigeria is a long, widespread and an unhappy one. Hate speech and the fanning of ethnic discord was linked with violence after the 2011 elections that left hundreds of people dead and thousands displaced.

The same scenario played out again during the 2015 elections where unprecedented cases of tension and violence were recorded in many parts of the country.

According to the National Human Rights Commission boss, the public hearing for stakeholders from the North West zone of the country was necessitated by series of complaints received by the commission against persons or parties alleged to have been involved in promoting hate speech and violence in the 2015 elections.

It will also serve as a proactive measure by the commission to discourage such acts as the nation prepares for another general election in 2019.

“During the 2015 general elections, the commission carried out a similar campaign against hate speech and election violence. You will recall the tension created in the polity due to hate speeches during the 2015 general elections. It took the cooperation of all stakeholders to ensure that the whole scenario did not degenerate into massive election violence like in 2011 general elections.

“In the past, violators of hate speech and election-related violence are hardly made accountable. This has encouraged the use of hate speech in campaigns and other election-related activities. The purpose of the present campaign by NHRC is to discourage use of hate speech and election violence during campaigns and other election activities as we approach the 2019 general elections,” he said.

The 2019 elections might be months away from now, but the verbal war and physical altercations in some cases between the gladiators, the political leaders and their followers seemed to be generating tension in the country. It is therefore hoped that such platforms like the public hearing will reduce election-related conflicts in the country

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About 1,000 laid off as labour dispute endangers Nigerian Content policy

About 1,000 laid off as labour dispute endangers Nigerian Content policy

The Federal Government’s much avowed local content policy appears to be endangered following prevailing war by labour leaders against fledgling indigenous service companies that form the engine of the policy drive, as about 1,000 staff of companies were laid off recently.
It was gathered that labour crisis in the service segment of the petroleum industry arose from futile struggle by indigenous companies to retain indigenous workers they groomed under various capacity building programmes that took substantial investments.
The workers’ unions protest boils down to financial entitlements while the oil service companies point at low oil price cycles, dearth and outright cancellation of contracts by operators whose projects have dropped from investment tables, as well as elongated downtime due to call-off contracts. President of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, Mr. F.O. Johnson, did not respond to call put to him on the matter but other members of the group confirmed that the oil workers’ union is driving a movement against nearly 20 companies that fail to meet their demands for internal unionism, reinstatement of sacked workers and payment of fat exit packages to disengaged staff. It was gathered that some of the workers demanding severance packages are leaving for foreign multinational oil service firms after they have been employed as pupil staff and trained by the indigenous firms to meet industry skills standards. Currently, over 17 indigenous service companies based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, are battling to save their businesses from impact of attacks from National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, and PENGASSAN over unresolved entitlement issues. Five other companies have received demand notices from the workers’ groups. One of them, Ciscon Nigeria Limited, has been forced to declare insolvency as hostility from labour unions and sacked employees take threatening dimension. The situation has led to massive staff load off after resolution agreement failed. The company pointed at low business cycle in the industry as the reasons for delays in payment of entitlements. Chairman/Chief Executive, Ciscon, Mr. Shawley Coker, explained that the company had to downsize in response to activity downturn in upstream operations after weak oil prices and low oil income forced operators to call off projects and cancel contracts at a time government offered no buffer for companies that staked funds on equipment and facility acquisition. He lashed at the leadership of PENGASSAN for being too parochial in their appraisal of prevailing situation in the industry and advised them to get clear understanding of their roles as partners in building the nation’s economy and not to align with agents that demolish business structures that create jobs. With the massive downsizing going on in the oil services segment of the petroleum industry, he said, the country has recorded active job losses, shed substantial industry capacity to create new employment for new graduates, and lost deep pocket investments in local job delivery capacity. Chairman of Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, PETAN, Mr. Bank-Antony Okoroafor, said the group was working on all parties in the disputes to address the worrisome development. He said a meeting has been scheduled to look into series of complaints by workers and employers involved in the disputes. He clarified that over 15 other companies outside PETAN are also affected by the labour dispute. He admitted that low activity cycle affected the financial capacity of most service companies in the country, adding that labour leaders should situate the prevailing crisis in the industry in the context of the current economic condition of the country and close ranks with investors to move the sector up from the doldrums.

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How militancy affected oil output, revenue

How militancy affected oil output, revenue

THE nation has been cautioned to tame militancy as it culminated in a significant drop in output and revenue a few years ago
Stating this at the just concluded Kaduna International Trade Fair, the Chief Executive Officer, Koinowia Ventures Limited, Mr. Olufemi Boyede, said that the various issues that breed militancy should be addressed
He also indicated that: “the non-oil sector, has continued to remain the main driver of growth in the immediate-to-medium term hence, at the inception of President Buhari’s administrations, the government immediately adopted an adjustment strategy that hinges on combating corruption and shoring up non-oil revenues to compensate for dwindling oil revenues. The reality and imperative of diversification therefore became clear. “This is why Government, in 1986, introduced about 18 different incentives to support exports. However, as of today very few are operational. ‘’In recognition of its mandate to formulate and implement policies and instruments to grow Nigeria’s non-oil exports, the Nigeria Export Promotion Council has recently produced and is currently validating a “New Basket of Export Incentives” for Nigeria.’’

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NON-PAYMENT OF SALARIES: C’River workers forced to sleep in uncompleted buildings, churches

NON-PAYMENT OF SALARIES: C’River workers forced to sleep in uncompleted buildings, churches

CALABAR—NUMEROUS workers of the Cross River Geographic Information Agency, CRGIA, and Cross River State Water Board Limited, CRWBL, Calabar, thrown out of their homes by their landlords for inability to pay house rent currently sleep in uncompleted buildings andSome of the affected workers owed a backlog of 15-18 months salaries by the state government have also been dragged to court by the landlords. Penultimate Thursday, angry workers of the two agencies barricaded the Governor’s Office, Calabar, saying they were exhausted. They noted that different government officials had promised them that something would be done when the arrears were about six months, only to surprisingly renege and now, it has soared to 15 months for CRGIA and 18 months for CRWBL workers. We’re treated like beggars – Ibor, CRGIA worker One of the affected workers and a staff of CRGIA, Nelson Ibor, confirmed that his landlord charged him to court because he could not pay his house rent that elapsed in November, 2017. His words: “Our situation is like a nightmare which we are begging God to wake us up from. We are being owed 15 months salaries while our directors and other management staff have received salaries till date. We are treated like beggars; I have three children and all of them have been sitting at home for more than two terms.” 16 workers thrown out by landlords “To make matters worse, nobody is doing anything about it; we have been left in the dark. As we speak, 16 of my colleagues have been thrown out of their houses already, some sleep in churches while some sleep in uncompleted buildings. We are really suffering. His Excellency, Prof. Ben Ayade should look into our plight because it has already gotten out of hands. Many of us collected bank loans that we do not even know how to pay back,” he asserted. “As I speak with you, I will be appearing in court on Tuesday, my landlord sued me because I have not paid him since July, last year. Two of my children have dropped out of school, I am a widower, and I have three children. I now live from hand to mouth. We generated a lot of money in 2017 – over N200 million – I do not understand why they have turned us to beggars. We live at the mercy of friends and good spirited people. I and my children live in uncompleted building  –  Casual staff A casual staff said: “I now live in an uncompleted building with my children and my wife had to go back to the village, Okpoma in Yala. Because I cannot afford to allow my children to drop out of school, I live in an unfinished building with my children hoping that I will be able to raise money before the end of March to pay rent, even if it is a one-room apartment. “We were thrown out in November last year because I have owed my landlord for a year and two months, he ran out of patience and I do not blame him at all. Not everyone will even be as patient as he was with me for that long. “We are pleading with His Excellency, Prof. Ben Ayade and Commissioner for Lands to please help us, they should pay our money, we are dying, we have become destitute and internally displaced persons, IDPs, in our own land. A labourer deserves his wages, we have worked, we should also be paid,” he asserted.  SOS to Gov. Ayade In a letter to the governor, CRGIA workers said: “We want to bring to the notice of Your Excellency the non-payment of salaries at CRGIA for over 15 months. It would interest you to know that the agency generated N260 million in 2017, N400 million in 2016 while it generated N800 million in 2015, but our salary was just a meager 55 million, yet, nobody wants to attend to our plight. “We are appealing to His Excellency to come to our aid and help us clear the backlog of our salaries, most of our colleagues have died, many are sleeping in churches because they have been thrown out of their houses, we are going through a lot of psychological, physical and emotional   trauma because of this ugly development,” they said. CRWBL workers also cry out On their part, CRWBL staff, who also blocked the entrance to the Governor’s Office, demanded their 18 months salaries, adding that they could no longer continue to work without pay. “They owe us for one year and six months. Many of our counterparts have died, some of us have put in 12 years as ad-hoc staff (casual workers), we want the meager allowances to be paid now, some of us receive as low as N25,000, yet they have owed us this money for 18 months. We know Ayade has a listening ear, he should help us. 6 staff almost suffocated in the office last week’ “We are the heart of Water Board, amongst us, we have highly technical personnel who have been working with water board for over a decade, yet they have not been absorbed into the system. “But that is not even our problem now, they should pay us, those who work in the chemical section, the main people who mix the chlorine and do water treatment. I cannot even remember the last time I got milk from the office. Last week, about six of our colleagues almost suffocated  because they could not get milk,” he stated. Gov working on the matter already- Orji, Commissioner Contacted, Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr. Odu Orji, said: “The governor whose philosophy is to make sure that there is food on the table of every citizen of the state has already directed an official, Dr Stephen Odey, to take charge of the place in a bid to ensure that the matter was handled appropriately.” “You people should exercise more patience, the matter will be resolved in the soonest possible time,” he assured. Director-General of CRGIA, Patrick Agida, referred our reporter to Mr. Christian Ita, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, who was unreachable as at the time of this report. 

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Why I revealed how much we earn as senators – Shehu Sani

Shehu Sani, the Nigerian senator who revealed that he and his colleagues receive N13.5 million as running cost monthly, has explained why he exposed his colleagues.

Mr. Sani in an interview with BBC said the payment is a ‘moral issue.’

“I decided to burst it open. It was a moral issue,” he said.

He said that the National Assembly is being run with little accountability about how the money is spent.

He wants the illegal payment to be scrapped so that the legislative arm of government will be attractive only to people who can contribute ideas.

“The National Assembly is one of the most non-transparent organs of government. It pricked my conscience and I decided to burst the bubble and open the National Assembly to public scrutiny.

“If the expenses payment system was ended then parliament would only be attractive to people who contribute ideas,” he told BBC.

Mr. Sani had in an interview with TheNews revealed that he and his colleagues receive N13.5 million monthly as “running cost”, aside a N750, 000 monthly consolidated salary and allowances which they also receive.

Mr. Sani’s revelation is the first by a lawmaker from the Senate since the clamour by Nigerians for a full disclosure of lawmakers’ earnings.

The revelation has sparked widespread anger among Nigerians who had always criticised the lawmakers for arbitrarily allocating jumbo pay to themselves.

The Senate on Sunday confirmed the payment but said the revelation is ‘nothing new’ as the information was already in the public domain.

The presidency is yet to react to the development.

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Plane catches fire while landing, at least 40 dead, 23 injured

• AGENCY REPORT


• 12 MAR 2018

At least 40 people were killed and 23 injured when a Bangladeshi passenger plane crashed near Kathmandu airport Monday, an official said.

“Thirty-one people died at the spot and nine died at two hospitals in Kathmandu,” police spokesman Manoj Neupane told AFP, adding another 23 were injured.

There were 67 passengers and four crew on board the US-Bangla Airlines plane from Dhaka.

The plane crashed after catching fire while trying to land.

Witnesses described seeing the plane flying at a low height before crashing onto a football pitch at Nepal’s only international airport in the capital, Kathmandu.

Amanda Summers, an American who works in Nepal, watched the crash happen from the terrace of her home office.

“It was flying so low I thought it was going to run into the mountains,” she said.

She said it was unclear if it had reached the runway when it landed. “All of a sudden there was a blast and then another blast,” she said

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Buhari in Benue: Tiv people not happy with you – Akume tells President

Former Governor of Benue State and serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, George Akume, has informed President Muhammadu Buhari that his people are not happy with him for his cold reaction over the killing of his kinsmen in the state.

Akume recalled that Benue people overwhelmingly voted for Buhari in 2015 despite the fact the then Senate President, David Mark, who is a member of the PDP hailed from the state.

He called on the president to help end the killings of citizens in the state.

He said, “Your Excellency, you could recall that Senator David Mark was Senate President while Suswam was the Chief Security of the State, yet the Tiv people voted for you in 2015.

“We have no federal project in Benue State, Ortom does not make law, Benue People made the law, JS Tarka fought for the unity of our country Nigeria, Mr. President the Tiv people are not happy about your reaction towards the killing of Tiv farmers by Fulani herdsman.”

Details later…

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Herdsmen: What Buhari told governors about cattle routes – Fayose

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose has alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari ordered state governors to ensure that people of their states do not “block cattle routes”.
Speaking during a programme on Ekiti State Television, EKTV, Fayose claimed that Buhari gave the directive during a meeting “last week.”
The governor also berated the president over his handling of the crisis between herdsmen and farmers.

Fayose, while quoting the president, said: “People are building houses to block cattle routes.If I were to be president of Nigeria, I will not act the way President Buhari is behaving (regarding the crisis).

“The president must be courageous enough to end these mindless killings. He is the president and has what it takes. If I am the president, I will take appropriate steps and stand it down. A criminal is a criminal, whether Hausa man or Yoruba man. If you commit crime, you go in for it.

“I remember when we were in a meeting last week; the president was saying that people are blocking cattle routes. Have you heard that before? How can the president say people are blocking cattle routes? There is no cattle route in Ekiti in the 21st century.

“The president of Nigeria was saying governors should go and make sure they don’t block cattle routes. He said people are building houses to block cattle routes. I was laughing; I didn’t know what to say in council. I just left.”

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