NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA
70% of Nigerians refuse to pay bribes- NBS
General News , Business

70% of Nigerians refuse to pay bribes- NBS

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By Okeoghene Akubuike

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says 70 per cent of Nigerians refused to pay bribes in 2023 on at least one occasion.

This is according to the NBS Corruption in Nigeria: Patterns and Trends Report released in Abuja on Thursday.

The report said the bribery refusal rate was found to be highest in the North-West at 76 per cent, although the refusal rate recorded in all the zones was above 60 per cent.

It said in 2023, fewer citizens reported suffering negative consequences after refusing bribe requests at 38 per cent compared with the 49 per cent recorded in 2019.

“This suggests that Nigerians feel increasingly empowered to confront corrupt officials without fear of repercussions.”

The report said in 2023, 21 per cent of all bribe refusers indicated that their main reason for refusing a bribe request was because they had other options of getting what they wanted.

It showed that 42 per cent of bribe -refusers did so because it was the right, moral thing to do while 23 per cent refused because they could not afford the requested gift or payment.

“This data shows that normative concerns as well as cost of living pressures play an important role in explaining why Nigerians refuse to pay bribes.”

The report revealed that corruption ranked fourth among the most significant problems affecting the country in 2023 at 10.9 per cent.

“Corruption came after the cost of living at 22.6 per cent, insecurity and unemployment at 19 per cent and 13 per cent, respectively.

“This suggests relatively stable and high levels of concerns about corruption over time and compared to other concerns such as education or housing.”

The report said Nigerians’ confidence in the government’s anti-corruption effort had been declining over time and across regions.

It said in 2019, more than half of all citizens thought that the government was effective in fighting corruption; however in 2023, the share declined to less than a third of all citizens

“The downward trend in the citizens’ confidence is observable across the entire country, with all six zones recording reductions of more than 10 percentage points between 2019 and 2023.”

The report said in 2023, more than half of all bribes paid to public officials were requested directly by those officials at 52 per cent, while indirect requests accounted for 23 per cent.

“This was followed by facilitate procedure at nine per cent, sign of appreciation at eight per cent and third party request at five per cent.”

It revealed that more than 95 per cent of all bribes paid in 2023 were paid in monetary form (cash or money transfer), a slightly larger share than what was recorded in 2019.

“Others are food and drink at eight per cent, animals at seven per cent exchange for other services at four per cent.”

The report said that roughly N721 billion was paid in cash bribes to public officials in Nigeria in 2023, corresponding to 0.35 per cent of the entire Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Nigeria.

It said in 2023, out of all citizens who paid a bribe, 8.6 per cent reported their experience to an official institution capable of investigating or otherwise following up and acting on that report.

“This represents a marked increase in the bribery reporting rate since 2019 when it stood at 3.6 per cent.

“The increase is primarily driven by developments in the Northern zones, where the bribery reporting rate increased markedly from 4.7 per cent in 2019 to 13.4 per cent in 2023.

“In the Southern zones, the bribery reporting rate instead decreased moderately from 2.5 per cent in 2019 to 1.7 per cent in 2023.”

The report said more formal procedures were initiated due to reporting at 45 per cent and fewer cases had no follow-up at 17 per cent.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this is the third round of the corruption survey with the first two rounds held in 2016 and 2019, respectively, across the 36 states and the FCT.

The corruption survey also known as the National Survey on Quality and Integrity of Public Services in Nigeria was implemented by NBS in partnership with United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

Nigeria will continue to share human capital with ACP countries– NTAC
Foreign

Nigeria will continue to share human capital with ACP countries– NTAC

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By Maureen Okon

Dr Yusuf Yakub, the Director-General, Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC), says Nigeria will continue to share its abundant human capital with Africa, Caribbean and the Pacific countries (ACP).

Yakub said this on Saturday in Abuja at a reception and debriefing exercise of 14 returning Technical Aid Corps (TAC) Volunteers from Uganda and the Gambian.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 13 TAC volunteers had on Friday returned from Uganda while one returned from Gambia after their two years voluntary service to their host countries.

The D-G lauded the TAC volunteers for their service to humanity, Africa and Nigeria by returning home without a stain and bagged accolades for a job well done, hence the reason for its continuation.

According to him, the volunteering programme will continue because it is a key component of the Nigerian foreign policy.

“It is only a few countries in the world that have the capacity and the political will to carry on with programmes of this nature, and these few countries are mostly the developed countries.

“These inlude the United Kingdom’s UKAID, America’s USAID, China’s CHINAID and in Nigeria, we have NTAC.

“I think we are the only country in Africa that sends TAC volunteers to ACP countries for the past 37 years, which shows that our country is a great nation.

“We also have all the manpower as I always say, we will continue in the African spirit to share what we have with our fellow ACP countries.

“We have our fellow blacks in these countries and we will continue to share with them the abundant human resources that God has given to us,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the NTAC programme was conceived as an instrument of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs soft power diplomacy to bridge the educational and professional gaps in the ACP countries.

The directorate is saddled with the responsibility of management and general administration of the foreign policy scheme which involves the conduct of recruitment.

Also orientation and deployment exercise for volunteers, sharing Nigeria’s know-how and its expertise with the ACP countries.

Some volunteers while speaking with NAN recalled their experiences and applauded the Federal Government for the opportunity and experienced gained.

They also solicited for Nigerian government to liaise with the host community to beef up security for the TAC volunteers by ensuring their safety in their host community.

Dr Chinwe Igiri, a Software Engineer, said due to their brilliance, the universities they served asked for their retainment but they had to follow due protocol and report back home first.

“Also, we have won a lot of grants and we have some projects ongoing. As a TAC volunteer, it was an avenue to express what is in me that needs to be tapped.

“The university I served gave me the opportunity which I made a lot of impact, I started a programme that was approved by the National Council of Higher Education,’’ she said.

Mr Terseer Ako, a Civil Engineer with specialisation in Transportation and Highway Engineering, said that the experience was wonderful and they used the opportunity to promote the country’s image.

“We had lots of commendations and experiences that I thought the school management didn’t observe but I was surprised when they organised a farewell party and the Vice Chancellor mentioned our achievements.

“Finally, when I read the appreciation letter they wrote to us individually, I wasn’t expecting the details of our stay from it, so all in all, it was a wonderful experience and we are grateful to Federal Government,” Ako said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Perpetua Onuegbu/Deji Abdulwahab

Gumel tasks weightlifting federation on talent discovery
Sports

Gumel tasks weightlifting federation on talent discovery

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Habu Gumel, President, Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), addressing weightlifting coaches during the Olympic Solidarity sponsored Level 2 coaching course in Abuja. Seated behind him is Abdul Ibrahim, President, Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF) and International Weightlifting Instructor, Pierce Kyle.

 

By Emmanuel Afonne

The President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Habu Gumel, has tasked the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF) to nurture talents that would take over from the current weightlifters.

Gumel gave the charge when he declared open the 2024 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Level 2 Coaching Course for weightlifting coaches, at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja, on Monday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that weightlifting coaches from the 36 states of the federation are participating in the coaching course organised by the NWF in collaboration with the NOC.

Gumel said the weightlifting federation needed to do everything possible to replace its aging athletes to ensure that the country continued its dominance in Africa.

He said the Olympic Solidarity and the International Olympic Committee approved the course because of the performance of Nigerian weightlifters at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the 2024 African Games in Ghana.

“It is important for us to get the support of the International Olympic Solidarity for this coaching course.

“We have been moving around the country organising women commission seminars, administrative seminars in the six geopolitical zones and this one is another one but for weightlifting.

“It is for weightlifting coaches all over the country and we are lucky that the Olympics Solidarity through the International Federation of Weightlifting deemed it fit to get us an international instructor to come and train our coaches.

“They must listen and learn so that they can impact the knowledge when they go back to their states to teach other people.

“Weightlifting is very important and the athletes are doing well; we know their records during the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the African Games in Ghana and we believe that they will excel at the Paris Olympics.

“There is going to be another coaching course for shooting, swimming and others, to train their coaches, referees and administrators,” Gumel said.

The President of NWF, Abdul Ibrahim, said the course would be administered in two parts – theory and practical, on the best practices to adopt in developing the game.

“There is so much happening in sports that the weightlifting coaches needed to know which would be made known to them by a U.S. Weightlifting Instructor, Pierce Kyle.

“This programme is for six days and it is important to develop our coaches for it to cascade down to the athletes to achieve a positive result.

“If we don’t get good results from the states, then we have failed but if we get it right, we will develop our game.

“So, the task before us is to be able to develop new athletes that will take over from the old ones in the next one year, after this programme; we also want to see a general improvement as a result of this course,” Ibrahim added.

Emeka Ajei, Chairman, Weightlifting Coaches Association, said the course would improve their knowledge ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“Weightlifting did so well in the last African Games and I believe that this course will improve our capability, tactical and technical performance because there is no knowledge that is lost.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

When stakeholders converged on Banjul to affirm nuclear test rejection
Features

When stakeholders converged on Banjul to affirm nuclear test rejection

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By Fortune Abang, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Stakeholders gathered in Banjul, The Gambia, for a two-day African regional workshop organised by the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) from May 31 to June 1, 2024.

The workshop brought together 27 attendees from 23 countries, including both diplomatic and technical representatives.

During the two-day event, participants emphasised the significance of African countries’ adherence to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) for ensuring peace and security across the region.

Topics discussed included strategies to increase support for and achieve universal adoption of the CTBT in Africa, as well as ways to build momentum towards its entry into force.

There was call to Africa Heads of State and Governments to advance the ratification and national implementation of the Treaty.

The CTBT, a multilateral agreement opened for signature in September 1996, has since been signed by 187 nations and ratified by 178, prohibiting any nuclear weapons test anywhere in the world by anyone.

The workshop also focused on ensuring that all States Signatories benefit from Treaty membership, whether through using the data collected by the organization’s state-of-the-art verification regime or accessing capacity building and training opportunities.

It followed other regional and sub-regional outreach events held in Cairo, Egypt; Nairobi, Kenya; Rabat, Morocco; Niamey, Niger; Abuja, Nigeria; Dakar, Senegal; Pretoria, South Africa; and Tunis, Tunisia, among others.

During the workshop, suggestions were made on how to better contribute to the International Monitoring System (IMS), a technical platform of CTBTO’s verification regime that detects nuclear test explosions globally.

Others called for capacity building programmes and training initiatives to promote States signatories’ access to IMS data and International Data Centre (IDC) products for civil and scientific applications, such as earthquake warnings and climate change research.

CTBTO Executive Secretary Robert Floyd emphasised the importance of the ban on nuclear testing for the African region, highlighting the Treaty’s International Monitoring System’s capability to detect any nuclear.

He disclosed that the CTBT has not yet formally entered into force, requiring ratification from 9 remaining countries from a list of 44, including China, the United States, and Russia.

He said that entry into force would unlock the Treaty’s full verification tools, including the ability to conduct on-site inspections to confirm the nature of any suspected nuclear test.

Floyd emphasised the devastating impact of nuclear weapons, citing the Hiroshima bombing as an example, and encouraged African countries to ratify the CTBT, noting that Africa’s 35 IMS stations are actively monitoring global seismic activity.

He praised Africa’s role in building consensus for the Treaty’s adoption by the UN General Assembly and highlighted the importance of complete adherence to the CTBT for realising a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Africa.

Similarly, Mr Dawda Jallow, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice of The Gambia, said the regional workshop would help the stakeholders to discuss and advance the nuclear testing ban policy objective within the region.

He said The Gambia’s ratification of the Treaty in 2022 demonstrated commitment to nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, as well as dedication to a safer and more peaceful world.

According to him, the challenges Africans faced today required collective efforts through dialogue and diplomacy with relevant support to the CTBT.

Jallow said: “The CTBT’s primary aim is to prevent nuclear testing, but it can also have civil and scientific applications.”

“The verification regime established by the CTBT offers valuable data and tools that can be utilised for purposes, such as climate change research, disaster prevention, including Tsunami warning.”

“These capabilities provide additional benefits to countries like The Gambia and also have the potential of generating positive outcomes across various sectors of economy.”

Dr Oumar Touray, President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, said Africa has been a driving force in nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament.

He said this was particularly through the Treaty of Pelindaba, which established a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (NWFZ) in the region.

“This workshop is important to uniting African countries towards achieving a shared future, advancing the CTBT and reinforcing our collective resolve to prevent nuclear proliferation and promote global security.”

“Today, we are gathered to contribute to a cause that not only affects our continents, but the entire world.”

“This workshop is a testament to our shared dedication towards achieving sustainable peace and cooperation in Africa and beyond”, Touray said.

Mako Sitali, a senior Geo-scientist at Namibia’s CTBT National Data Centre (NDC) extolled the workshop to have provided platform for knowledge sharing on gains of nuclear testing ban.

“I believe in teamwork. Being in a room with so much regional expertise was a fantastic opportunity to learn from each other and collaborate. This is a crucial first step towards realising our vision of a world without nuclear tests”, Sitali said.

The stakeholders agreed that the proposed 2025 workshop scheduled to be hosted in Latin America and the Caribbean or the Pacific will benefit all signatories to the Treaty.

This, they agreed, will be achieved through capacity building, especially those interested in engaging in dialogue against nuclear weapons testing.

This will also ensure the safety and protection of the environment from nuclear weapons tests, aid in disaster management.

It will also serve various other civil and scientific purposes. It aims to establish a world without nuclear tests and create barriers against further development and proliferation of nuclear weapons. (NANFeatures)

Her Game foundation female football tournament kicks-off with 16 teams
Sports

Her Game foundation female football tournament kicks-off with 16 teams

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By Georgina Adegbie

Her Game Sporting Foundation football tournament for girls has kicked-off in Abuja, with 16 teams battling for honours.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the maiden edition of the grassroots tournament got underway on Thursday at the Area 3 FIFA Goal Project astro pitch.

Mrs Pat Ayegba, Chairman, Female Football Committee, FCT FA told NAN, shortly after the kick-off that the tournament is meant to showcase and empower young female footballers in the FCT.

Ayegba who is the sponsor of the tournament, said that  the foundation decided to partner with the FCT Football Association (FCT FA) so as to make much impact.

“The Her Game Foundation is not just a tournament, but a movement, a movement that empowers women and girls to embrace their strength, passion and potential.

“Football is not just a game, it’s a platform for growth, for learning and breaking barriers.

“It teaches us team work, discipline and resilience, it shows us that with hard work and determination, we can achieve greatness,” she said.

NAN reports that the kick-off was preceded with a march-past by participating teams, and presentation of branded jerseys and balls by the sponsor to each of the teams.

Football stakeholders and board members of the FCT FA were also present at the entertaining opening ceremony.

The tournament which has female secondary schools and football academies participating will end on July 7. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Joseph Edeh

UniAbuja can serve as catalyst for Nigeria’s dev’t — VC
Education , General News

UniAbuja can serve as catalyst for Nigeria’s dev’t — VC

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By Muhyideen Jimoh

Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, the out-going Vice-Chancellor, University of Abuja, says the repositioned institution can serve as catalyst for Nigeria’s greatness and development.

Na’Allah told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on the sidelines of an award ceremony organised by the University’s Sustainable Development Centre (SDC) in honour of him as the “Best Performed” vice-chancellor of the institution.

Na’Allah, who is set to bow out from office in a few days, after five years of impactful tenure, said the institution has been transformed in line with international best practices, to address some of the nation’s problems.

He said the introduction of strategic courses/centres such as the SDC, leadership centre, security centre, aeronautical engineering, nuclear engineering among others has positioned the university as a catalyst to fast track the nation’s development.

“The SDC is one of our great centres established to respond to the need of our world.

“Sustainable development is at the centre of the strategy of the UN to save our world from calamity, so at University of Abuja we have put together this centre as a solution centre for Nigeria and the world.

“This is a centre that was established to look for solutions in every area of the SDG goals, so our PhD and masters students focus on finding solutions to our world,” he said.

Na’Allah thanked the centre and the out-going PhD students for honouring him, while charging them to continue to contribute to the development of the country, with the knowledge gained from the institution.

University of Abuja

Earlier, Sen. Gbenga Daniel, Chairman, Senate Committee on Navy, who was the special guest of honor, said that he was delighted to be associated with the transformative leadership of Na’Allah at the institution.

He stressed the need to always celebrate excellence, adding that that the SDC could go a long way in preferring solutions to the nation’s current challenges.

Prof. Sule Magaji, Director, SDC, said the centre was out to champion holistic sustainable development and inspire students for a better tomorrow.

Magaji emphasised the need for all hands to be on deck to achieve the SDG goals and evolve a better society.

Also speaking, Brig.- Gen. Adewale Adekoya, Acting Director of the Nigeria Army Heritage and Future Centre, expressed optimism that the SDC will give the necessary push in Nigeria achieving the SDGs.

Adekoya, who is an out-going PhD student of the SDC, said the Centre thrives on impacting applicable contemporary studies that will help achieve the SDGs and develop the nation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that high point of the event was the presentation of ‘Sustainable Awards’ to various recipients. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

Green industrial vision complementary to oil, gas investment– Tinubu
Oil & Gas

Green industrial vision complementary to oil, gas investment– Tinubu

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By Salif Atojoko

President Bola Tinubu says Nigeria remains committed to a balanced approach to energy transition.

According to him, the country still requires substantial investments in the oil and gas sector to meet its energy demands and economic needs.

Tinubu made the remarks at a meeting with the Group Chief Executive of Standard Chartered Bank, Mr Bill Winters, on Monday in Abuja.

He called for a just energy transition that supported vulnerable communities across the nation.

The President highlighted the importance of balancing the mutually beneficial shift to green industrial growth and energy with the immediate energy needs of Nigerians.

“We value your cooperation, friendship, and partnership. Substantially, we have oil and gas as our primary source of revenue today.

“As friends, we do not expect you to run away from investments in this sector. We face the future prospect while prudently maximising the present.

“Green industry and energy, yes. We will surely catch up with that. To run a marathon, you need energy today. Nigeria holds the largest reserves of gas in Africa.

“We know we can make best use of great opportunities that exist in the sector. We do not want you to back away from fossil fuels,” the President said.

He said he had seen retractions and retreat positions by some players in the industry, but explained that for any energy transition to succeed, people must live and live well.

“We must be able to meet our obligations to the vulnerable communities. We are committed to being prudent with our natural resources to bring prosperity to our deserving people.

“As we hold the largest reserves in gas on the continent, we do not want to go backward, we want to move forward, and we welcome deepened partnership with your institution,” said Tinubu.

He also highlighted strategic projects across different sectors embarked on by his administration to stimulate economic growth.

He reiterated his commitment to sustaining ongoing economic reforms and measures to stabilise the economy.

The Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun, described Standard Chartered Bank as a valued partner to Nigeria.

Edun said the bank provides finance for infrastructure, advice on ratings, the prudent management of Nigeria’s Eurobond as well as indicated interest to finance key infrastructure projects in Nigeria.

He said these projects include the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, Port Harcourt-Maiduguri rail line rehabilitation, as well as the provision of 3 billion dollars in innovative financing for the NLNG dividend initiative.

“I am pleased to note that Moody’s has just completed our rating review and maintained Nigeria’s rating as a positive outlook, which is very encouraging,” the Minister said.

He also said Moody’s positive outlook rating followed the recent announcement of the World Bank’s 2.25 billion dollars financing package for Nigeria, reflecting the positive trajectory of the current administration’s economic reforms.

In his remarks, Winters lauded Tinubu’s bold economic reforms, noting the international investment community’s recognition and support.

“We see ourselves as ambassadors to Nigeria in the international investment community, and we take our advisory role very seriously.

“We will continue to offer objective advice to the country because we have commitments in the country backed by our strong belief in what this administration is doing,” he said.

The delegation from Standard Chartered Bank included Mr Foluso Phillips, Chairman of Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria, and Mr Dalu Ajene, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria branch of the bank. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Oluwole Sogunle

Trade modernisation’ll boost efficiency in operations – expert
Economy/Business

Trade modernisation’ll boost efficiency in operations – expert

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By Martha Agas
An expert, Mr Ibrahim Yahaya, says that the Trade Modernisation Project (TMP) being implemented in Nigeria will boost efficiency in trade facilitation.

Yahaya said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

NAN reports that TMP is the automation of the business processes of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to simplify and enhance the experience of stakeholders in the trade value chain.

The project is a 20-year concession, with an execution agreement signed in May 30, 2022, between the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by NCS Board, and the Trade Modernisation Project Ltd.

It aims to streamline the process of obtaining export and import clearances, ease the payment of duties, and facilitate the release of goods.

The project would deploy a software described as the Unified Customs Management system (UCMS), where trade operators have the advantage to also monitor all stages of their transactions.

It will equip the NCS with state-of-the-art technology infrastructure and facilities, to transform the service into an organisation that provides efficient services to businesses and other government agencies.

The TMP is an improvement on the current system, featuring advanced capabilities such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) to aid in the classification and validation of uploaded documents or data.

Yahaya, the Managing Director of Paynacle Digital Services, said that TMP would help reduce corruption in customs operations and ensure transparency and efficiency in their activities.

“It will also cut the time used in document verification. TMP will speed up the process for those importing or exporting, something that used to take 20 days can now take one hour.

“I believe that with AI in the system, it will help predict government revenue, and if there is any deficiency, it will address it,” he said.

He said that the project would aid Nigeria’s budgetary system, considering that revenue generated from NCS is a crucial source of revenue for the country.

“For Nigeria to advance its economic diversification efforts, TMP is crucial to boosting its integrity in attracting foreign investment through international trade.

“It will help in boosting Nigeria’s integrity in international trade because the system has undergone sanitisation,” he said.

According to him, TMP will ensure transparency and efficiency in NCS activities, particularly in checking the issuance of fake customs duty documents.

“We often see a lot of fake customs duty documents, and the mode of production and issuance is obsolete.

“Traditionally, it makes it easy for people to manipulate, but automation will help address that and improve efficiency,” he said.

Yahaya urged the engagement of experts in the implementation of the project, noting that the Public-Private Partnership would help sustain the project.

“I suggest they hire experts in cybersecurity and private companies to maintain its services,” he said.

NAN reports that TMP is implementing nine technical agreements with its technical and financial partners.

Access Bank Plc is the financial partner, Huawei, the lead technical partner, and CrossborderXP Ltd is the software development partner, among others.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ese E. Eniola Williams

Stakeholders donate trees to mitigate impacts of climate change
Environment

Stakeholders donate trees to mitigate impacts of climate change

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By Abigael Joshua

Stakeholders in the Environment sector on Saturday donated 120 trees to mitigate climate change impacts in Gasaki community of Nasarawa State.

Gee Foundation a Non- Governmental Organisation (NGO) on Social Justice and Development, made the donation of trees during a one-day sensitisation.

The NGO made the donation in collaboration with the Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP) and the French Embassy in Nigeria,

The sensitisation is themed, “Addressing Land Degradation and Enhancing Climate Resilience for improved Women’s livelihood”.

Dr Michael David, Executive-Director GIFSEP, urged the community to always plant trees to replace felling trees and tasked them on climate change adaptation.

He appealed to them on the indiscriminate felling of trees to prevent the recent landslide experienced in the area.

The executive director stated that it was of great essence and benefits to preserve the land from degradation because their livelihoods depended on it.

According to David, planting of trees prevents erosion, flooding, landslides and thereby mitigates the impact of climate change in an area.

Stakeholders, community participants at tree planting programme at Gasaki, Nasarawa State

Mrs Gloria Agema, Executive- Director Gee Foundation, said the sensitisation against all the climate change activities that impacts on communities negatively, especially on women wouldn’t have been possible without the supports of funds from the French Embassy.

Agema, who expressed concern that only one borehole, served four communities, promised that they would intervene by providing the community with more boreholes to follow up with the tree plantings.

Responding, Chief Zaki Tanko of Gasaki (Gasaki of Jeje), expressed satisfaction over the gestures and efforts made by the stakeholders to mitigate the impacts of climate change in the area.

He assured that there would be reduction in the felling of trees and appealed for more construction of boreholes to address water scarcity in the area.

One of the beneficiaries in the community, Jummai Abubakar, commended the stakeholders and promised to nurture her tree.

“We are grateful for this assistance, no one has come to our aid in this manner, indeed we have seen light in our community,” she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that each participant of the workshop went home with a tree to plant and nurture.

NAN also reports that the event highlighted the planting of some economic trees, such as palm, orange, mango trees as well as cultural display by the people of the community. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

UN, NHRC advise youths against inciting hatred
Foreign

UN, NHRC advise youths against inciting hatred

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By Chinenye Offor

The United Nations (UN) and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) have urged young people not to allow themselves to be used to incite and deepen hatred in Nigeria.

The organisations gave the advice at the commemoration of the third International Day for Countering Hate Speech, jointly organised by NHRC and UN on Friday in Abuja.

The Executive-Secretary of NHRC, Mr Tony Ojukwu, decried the impact of hate speeches in the society.

Ojukwu said hate speech had promoted discrimination; divisions; incited violence; and such impeded voters participation and access to elections.

Ojukwu said that in order to ensure peaceful, prosperous and united nations; Nigerians, particularly young people should reflect on things that would bind compatriots together, rather than separate them.

“Young people are more invested in the future of Nigeria than any other group in our population, and should not allow themselves to be used as cannon fodders to incite and deepen hatred in the country.

“Coincidentally, youths form the bedrock of our nation and this demographic dividend should at all times be mobilised for the social and economic development of our dear nation.

“Sensitising and mobilising young people to combat hate speech is crucial in today’s world, where they are not only the target, but also influential voices in their communities,” he said.

He promised to work closely with the UN system in Nigeria, youth leaders and other stakeholders to create relevant awareness to identify and counter hate speeches.

The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr Mohammed Fall, said that hate speech contradicted all the values and principles enshrined in international human rights law.

Fall, who was represented by Mr Phillippe Delanghe, added that it undermined efforts to achieve the aim of 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals to leave no one behind.

“Hate speeches often target the most vulnerable in our societies and minorities, if left unchecked, it can harm peace and development.

“It lays the foundation for conflicts and tensions, undermine social cohesion and contribute to wide scale human rights violations and crime.

“The devastating effect of hatred is not new. However, new technologies of communication has amplified the scale and impact of hate speech.

“Social media and the internet are now the most frequent methods for spreading divisive rhetoric and ideologies on a global scale,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Florence Onuegbu/Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

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