Month: April 2024

Mr Dapo Okubanjo, Member of the Independent Media and Policy Initiative (IMPI), says the recent hike in electricity tariff for some users is a pro-poor development and not a burden on majority of Nigerians.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government through the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), announced an increase in tariff for users under the Band A category effective April 3.

The new rates meant a hike from N67 per kilowatt-hour to N225 per kilowatt-hour, translating to a 241KW increase for the users.

Okubanjo, in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos noted that the reports issued by the NERC showed that subsidy on electricity tariff was still largely intact.

According to him, what the regulatory body did is in response to demands by electricity distribution companies (DisCos) for a cost-reflective price regime, amounting to a partial removal of subsidy.

He noted that the development only affected 15 per cent of electricity users or about 1.5 million consumers
who, on paper, enjoyed 20+ hours of electricity supply daily, have property or live within Band A of the power distribution scheme.

Okubanjo said the implication was that the vast majority of 200 million Nigerians from Nyanya to Awka, and from Zungeru to Odi were not affected by what had been misrepresented in the public domain.

‘In the midst of the brouhaha over electricity tariff, feelers soon emerged that it was President Bola Tinubu, in apparent acknowledgement of the current high cost of living, insisted that majority of Nigerians be spared the agony of paying more for electricity.

‘It is, to all intents and purposes, a deliberate pro-poor initiative to increase liquidity in the sector.

‘This is truly remarkable against the backdrop of the N3.3 trillion annual expenditure on energy subsidy and this is in spite of the need to ease pressure on public finances.

‘So, for the President, it is better to have the top 15 percenters of electricity consumers who consume about half of total power distributed t
o bear the brunt of a new tariff.

‘That will see a reduction in the subsidy regime by about N1.4 trillion while the remaining 85 per cent continue to enjoy energy subsidy,’ he said.

Okubanjo also urged the general public to curb misinformation about the development and understand that the average Nigerian is being shielded.

He recalled that the President’s common phrase shortly after assuming office, ‘Let the poor breathe. Don’t suffocate them’, affirmed his preparedness to shield the less privileged in the society from the harsh effect of reforms.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

SWAKOPMUND: The community of Usakos have expressed disappointment with the police at the town, claiming that they failed the late Lena Williams who allegedly died at the hands of her ex-boyfriend recently.

During a petition handover at the town on Monday, the community members said the police acted negligently by not attending to the case when the deceased sought assistance for the domestic abuse she was experiencing from the accused.

‘She would have been alive had they acted properly. We are not protected in this town,’ said Melissa Uiras, who read the petition.

According to her, cases reported to the police are not attended to on time or there are delays as vehicles would not be available, ‘however you find the police vehicle parked at the football field and being used for personal things’.

‘We want the officers to be reshuffled. Let them go work somewhere (else) because despite our population we want services and protection,’ she said.

Receiving the petition, Erongo Namibian Police Force Chief, Commis
sioner Nikolaus Kupembona assured the community that the police would thoroughly investigate the case to ensure that the justice process takes its course.

‘We also want to request the public’s assistance in reporting cases of this nature because the police cannot fight crime and ensure safety of the community alone. But if all of us are involved in fighting this together, we will make our communities a better place,’ Kupembona said.

Williams was reportedly stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend during the early morning hours of Saturday at her home, where the suspect lay in wait for her.

The accused, Samuel #Goseb was arrested and appeared in the Usakos Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

He has been remanded in custody and his case was postponed to 07 May for further investigation.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Gov. Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau has called for partnership among government, Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Faith Base Organisations (FBOs), Corporate Organisations and wealthy individuals to expand Computer Based Test (CBT) infrastructures.

Mutfwang made the call at the roundabout on Athena/Educare Free Nationwide Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) Preparatory CBT launch in Abuja.

The event was organised by the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership in collaboration with Educare to mainstream CBT into school’s curriculum.

According to Mutfwang, Plateau as a state has only 21 CBT platforms which are not enough to cover the local government areas of the state.

He added that most of the 21 CBT Centers were located in the state capitals, which were all private sector initiative.

‘There is no enough public sector involvement. This is a wakeup call for me as a governor, and I will like to appreciate what Athena and Educare has done to open our eyes towards involvement in this initiative.

‘Wh
at I can assure you is that by grace of God, we are going to key into this partnership and we are going to see how we will be able to improve the capacity of our people.

‘We want to be intentional and deliberate from this moment going forward, where we will take the lead.

‘There is need for effective partnership to involve NGOs, FBOs, wealthy individuals and corporate organisations to come up with strategy for expanding the critical infrastructure to enable our students participate in CBT examinations.

‘The density of access to IT facilities in the state is low. Not many students who are ready to write JAMB have access to ICT facilities. We need to allow our children to have access and participate in JAMB,’ Mutfwang said.

The Plateau governor said he was going to ensure that when issuing licence to schools, there must be readiness to be able to create the platform.

‘It is a massive deficit we have, but I think the deficit presents us with a massive opportunity and that is what we will be driving going fo
rward,’ he said.

Also, the Governor of Anambra, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, represented by his Special Assistant on Technology and Incubation, Miss Chinwe Okolie, narrated the education revolution drive in the state.

Soludo stressed that he would continue to ensure that Anambra remains in the lead of national examinations such as JAMB and WAEC.

Meanwhile, the Chancellor of the centre, Mr Osita Chidoka, said, the organisations was targeting one million students in its programme.

According to Chidoka, the programme was aimed at promoting constructive platforms for digital space that would enable students taking CBT examination prepare adequately.

He explained that the Centre observed that 80 per cent of students taking the jamb CBT examination were not familiar with computers.

Chidoka also called for expansion and improvement of infrastructure, production of quality teachers and inculcating of digital skills into students to make them prepare for CBT.

Similarly, the Founder of Educare, Mr Alex Onyia, said the
organisation was prompted to bring the initiative to bear owing to the number of students who failed Jamb examination as a result of lack of knowledge of the CBT.

Onyia said that investment in a platform that enhance skills such as this would give Nigerian students quality education.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

KATIMA MULILO: The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) has cautioned residents of Katima Mulilo in the Zambezi region to be vigilant of a lioness that is still at large, after its mate, was shot and killed on Monday.

The lioness survived when it managed to escape from the MEFT Nature Conservation Officials, who shot and killed its mate at Chefuzwe in the Katima Rural Constituency on Monday.

The two lions are reported to have come from Botswana’s Chobe Game National Park and have killed and injured cattle around Chefuzwe and Salambala.

In an interview with Nampa on Monday, MEFT Spokesperson Romeo Muyunda warned the public to refrain from walking at night and advised that they not try to kill the lioness, but immediately report its whereabouts to the Ministry, should they trace it.

Muyunda further warned the public to avoid being in the vicinity whenever operations are done by Nature Conservation Officials, saying animals can retaliate which could result in casualties.

‘These animals can b
e dangerous, especially lions tend to look out for each other, so there’s a possibility that the lioness can come back and search for its mate. And whoever will come across it, will be attacked,’ Muyunda said.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Mr Ayoola Lawal, a former Secretary of the Diaspora Chairmen Forum Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says the planned enhancement of the National Identity Card by the Federal Government will re-write Nigeria’s history.

Ayoola, a former chairman of the APC Scandinavia, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos.

He said the enhancement, if effectively implemented, would be the needed foundation to rebuild Nigeria.

‘What President Bola Tinubu is doing is a foundation to build the country.

‘It will integrate everything and curb fraud. It is a modern thing yet to be done in many civilised countries of the world.

‘This is a positive development. Nigeria has just begun. I am impressed. This is what Nigeria ought to have done since. Nigerians just need more enlightenment on it.

‘Nigerians don’t know the implication of this. The Nordic countries are using this. They do not even know that it is the greatest good that will happen to Nigeria,’ he said.

According to him, Nigeria has a future n
ow. No one can impersonate you. Nobody can enter anyone’s data.

NAN reports that the Federal Government on April 4, announced plans to launch three new national identity cards in May, and has a target of providing them for about 104 million citizens across the country.

The three new national identity cards planned by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) included a bank-enabled national identity card, a social intervention card, and an optional ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card.

‘The Federal Government of Nigeria, through NIMC, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System, launched the innovative identity solution with payment functionality for all types of social and financial services to be powered by AfriGO, a national domestic card scheme.

‘The National ID card is layered with verifiable national identity features, backed by the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007, which mandates it o enrol and issue a General Multipurpose card to Nigerians and legal residents.

‘T
his card will address the demand for physical identification, enabling cardholders to prove their identity, access government and private social services.

‘It will facilitate financial inclusion for disenfranchised Nigerians, empower citizens, as well as encourage increased participation in nation-building,’ he said.

Lawal noted that the Federal Government should communicate the huge benefits of the scheme clearly and enlighten Nigerians more.

‘It is not a new identity card but will rather significantly upgrade the existing one with additional functionalities, as was planned long before this administration.

‘This clarification should aim to counteract the widespread belief among citizens that a completely new identity card is being issued as a means of embezzling.

‘The Federal Government of Nigeria should seek to affirm that these enhancements are an extension and amalgamation of previously planned features into the existing National ID scheme.

‘This unprecedented integration action of features associa
ted with the NIN card reflects President Bola Tinubu’s dedication and commitment to Nigeria’s renewed hope agenda,’ Lawal added.

He said the announcement signified the resolve and audacity of the President in implementing measures previously neglected by former administrations, for reasons known only to them.

‘These are the basic building blocks for any country serious about structured development,’ he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

RUNDU: The Namibian Police Force (NamPol) in the Kavango West Region are on a manhunt after the food meant for the Drought Relief Programme was reportedly stolen at Katwiti settlement on Saturday.

According to a NamPol daily incident report on Monday, the food was allegedly stolen from a warehouse where it was stored and was worth N.dollars 39 000. They include bags of maize meal, cans of beef and fish, as well as bottles of cooking oil.

Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident in the Kavango East Region, a 39-year-old woman was allegedly raped at Sauyemwa informal settlement at Rundu on Saturday.

The incident happened at around 18h30 when an unknown man reportedly had sexual intercourse with the victim without her consent.

No arrest has yet been made and police investigations into both matters continue.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency