Day: August 24, 2023

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has expressed support for the establishment of Anti Corruption and Transparency Units (ACTUs), describing it as a laudable initiative of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The commendation was given in Abuja on Thursday by Mr Buki Ponle, the Managing Director of NAN while welcoming the new ACTU Desk Officer for the agency, Mrs Victoria Giwa who came to present her letter of introduction.

Ponle, who was represented by his Special Assistant (Special Duties), Mr Muftau Ojo, said NAN had been in support of such initiative of the ICPC and will continue to do so.

“We are solidly in support of such initiative that promotes transparency and openness. And we will continue to support the ACTU chapter here in NAN to achieve ICPC’s aspirations,” he said.

Ponle expressed NAN’s readiness to continue supporting ICPC through trainings organized yearly to build capacities of ACTU members in the agency.

The managing director assured the desk officer that the management of the agency would assist her in making her work easier especially if she needed clarifications on issues of mutual interest and collaboration.

Ponle asked the desk officer to freely approach the Management directly or through NAN’s ACTU members anytime the need arose.

In her response, Giwa said there were over 500 ACTUs in Ministries, Departments and Agencies all over the country.

She said that ACTUs were established not to witch-hunt anybody in government organizations but to assist management in ensuring transparency in policies and programmes.

“The ACTU cannot do without the support of management and we appreciate you for your assurance in this area. We earnestly look forward to more support from you,” the desk officer added.

Dr Razak Owolabi, Chairman of NAN ACTU and another member of the unit, Mrs Rachael Kopkung were also present at the occasion.

Giwa later presented her letter of introduction to the managing director, through the special assistant.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike has, ordered the arrest of the owner of the two-storey building that collapsed on Wednesday night at Lagos Street, Garki Village, Abuja.

The FCT Emergency Management Agency (FCT FEMA) said in a statement that two victims have died, while 37 others were evacuated and taken to the hospital.

Wike, who gave the order when he visited the scene of the incident on Thursday, also asked the Permanent Secretary, FCT Administration, Mr Adesola Olusade, to pay the medical bills of those hospitalised.

The minister also urged the Department of Development Control, FCTA, to urgently resettle the residents of the community.

He urged stakeholders to work with government officials for the interest of everyone.

“This is what we are talking about; people just built houses without due diligence to minimum standards.

“This is why cities are planned – forestall this kind of incidents.

“I sympathise with those who lost their lives while the medical bills of those in the hospitals will be paid immediately,” he said.

Earlier, the Director, Development Control, Mr Mukhtar Galadima, had explained that the area was unplanned and houses an indigenous community.

Galadima said that the two-storey building was multipurpose and was for both residential and commercial use.

The permanent secretary commended security agencies and some contractors who came out in their numbers to render support in evacuating the rubbles and search for more victims.

Also, the Director-General, FCT FEMA, Dr Idriss Abass, said that relevant agencies had been on ground since the occurrence of the incident, to rescue the victims.

Abass said that efforts were still ongoing “to ensure that no one is left under the rubbles”.

Meanwhile, some of the victims, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said that they lost their investments and properties to the incident, and called for government support.

One of them, Ms Glory Perekeme, who operates a restaurant and a bar at the building, said she lost about N5 million as she could not take anything from her restaurant.

“I closed for business around 10:00 p.m. and was on my way home when I received a call that the building had collapsed and my investment gone.

“I am still in shock; and I don’t even know where to start from.

“I really need assistance. Government should come to our aid so we can start all over again,” she said.

Another victim, Mrs Ann Anyi, who owned a laundry and sells shoes, said that she lost everything to the incident.

“I have been crying since I got the news of the incident in the midnight.

“I am just hoping that when the rescue operation is over, I will be able to salvage something from the rubbles,” she said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Katutura Residents Committee on Thursday said the City of Windhoek (CoW) is “selfish and inhuman” because it allegedly refuses to heed their call to have the debt of pensioners who demonstrated in June, written off.

Speaking at a press conference in Windhoek on behalf of the pensioners, Benestus Kandundu said the CoW is failing to meet their needs in terms of high water and electricity debt even after the peaceful demonstration held on 27 June 2023.

The pensioners, during their peaceful demonstration through Independence Avenue to the CoW headquarters, demanded that their debt be written off, stressing that they are unable to pay off their accumulated water bills after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reading a petition on their behalf, Kandundu said the pandemic had a devastating impact on pensioners, and the majority are left with substantial amounts of water debt. This has resulted in CoW disconnecting their water and electricity, as well as contracting Red Force debt collectors to recover the debt from the pensioners.

“On 19 July 2023, Windhoek Mayor Joseph Uapingene stated that he would come back with an answer for us within two weeks and in his defence, he stated that we must be patient as there will be peace soon. We made it clear that we were not there for peace but for solutions. We are not only asking our debt to be written off but also to negotiate on the amounts that we poor residents of Katutura can afford for the water that has been cut off even when our electricity is paid for,” the newly appointed Katutura Residents Committee spokesperson, Shaun Gariseb, said.

The group said if they do not get a satisfactory response, they plan to hold a demonstration on 06 September 2023. They will then hand over another petition at the CoW and proceed to the offices of Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Erastus Uutoni to seek an audience.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

The Road Fund Administration (RFA) has announced that it has postponed its proposed road tolling programme indefinitely.

RFA in a statement on Thursday said this comes after it received policy support from the government in 2022 to engage stakeholders on the introduction of tolling in Namibia.

It however said as a result of the prevailing economic climate, coupled with factors such as high interest rates and inflation, it has decided to defer its planned stakeholder and public consultations on the implementation of road tolling until further notice.

The RFA further said it commissioned two feasibility studies on tolling which concluded that tolling is economically and practically feasible in Namibia.

“Road authorities and agencies worldwide are under financial pressure to maintain ageing road networks with rapidly diminishing resources. As road conditions deteriorate, vehicle operating costs rise due to faster vehicle wear and tear (damage to tyres, suspension, shocks, etc.) and increased travel time. These hidden costs raise vehicle maintenance and overall transportation costs for the economy, costing the road user time and money. Tolling is one such funding model. As a result, the RFA looked into the viability of introducing road tolls as an additional revenue stream to maintain the N.dollars 7.5 billion national road network,” the statement read.

It also stated that due to the proliferation of electric and fuel-efficient vehicles over the last 15 years, vehicle fuel demand has fallen by two per cent per year. This trend will continue as the world phases out gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles, which will result in regular funding gaps for maintenance and a systemic deterioration of the road infrastructure.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency