Day: May 8, 2024

The Ambassador of Republic of Korea to Nigeria, Mr KIM Pankyu, has promised to explore avenues of assisting Nigeria to tackle the security challenge in the country.

He said this at a media parley in Abuja.

Pankyu.

The envoy who had just spent about 50 days in Nigeria, pledged to work toward expanding the partnership between the two countries for mutual benefits.

He said that Korea had at different times offered capacity building programmes for the Nigerian military and other security agencies toward enhancing their capabilities.

‘I intend to expand this kind of opportunities for Nigeria. I believe that counter-terrorism courses and training programmes are useful for Nigerian military officers.

‘We will also explore ways to have Nigerian Government to keep itself with proper hardwares. The Korean navy has donated a patrol ship which will arrive Lagos in few months. I will explore ways to expand this kind of assistance.

‘I will also explore ways to deepen the security cooperation to assist the country ad
dress insecurity. I will do that by using my expertise in military and security affairs which saw me through in my 40 years in the Korea navy.

‘On this, I will also like to focus on promoting corporation on maritime security, because, securing maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea will essentially benefit many countries, including Korea.

‘In addition, I will like to expand Korean support of capacity building for Nigerian Military and security Officers,’Pankyu said.

He said that Nigeria remained a strong Korean partner in Africa, adding that the two countries can do more together.

He lauded the Federal Government for introducing reforms toward improving the business environment in the country.

‘I will explain these changes to Korean companies and encourage them to venture into Nigeria and make investments.

‘I will facilitate a people to people exchange between Nigeria and Korea because I believe that culture has the power to connect people and improve understanding among them,’ he said.

He commended t
he Korean Culture Centre in Nigeria for playing significant roles in introducing Korean Culture to Nigerians, promising to provide opportunities to Nigerians to experience the Korean content.

Pankyu also promised to explore avenues of increasing study slots for Nigerians wishing to study in the Republic of Korea.

He said that the Korean Government had provided numerous support toward food self-sufficiency in Africa through various projects like the K-Rice Belt Initiative to enhance high yield and food security on the continent.

‘We have signed Memorandum of Understanding with 10 African Countries to promote K-Rice Belt Projects. Nigeria’s joining this project is being discussed and when it is realised, it will surely contribute to its agriculture sector,’ he said.

The Envoy said that the Korea-Africa Summit slated for June in Seoul, Korea, would help solidify the relationship between Korea and Africa and also Korea and Nigeria.

‘The inaugural Korea-Africa Summit is expected to be the largest internationa
l gathering. This reflect Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol’s commitment to fostering mutually, beneficial, sustainable and strategic partnership with Africa.

‘This also marks significant steps in Korea’s comprehensive strategy to engage deeply with the global South, reflecting our commitment to global inclusiveness and corporation.

‘During the Summit, we will host many side events, and provide opportunities for Nigeria and Korea to explore ways to expand their bilateral economic and cultural exchange between government and private sector.

‘I’m positive and believe that the coming Summit will set a new milestone in the relationship between Korea and Africa,’Pankyu said.

He said that Korean people were largely Super Eagles fans, as they enjoyed their superlative performance in international tournaments.

‘The Korean people know Wole Soyinka, the literary Icon and they know the role of Nigeria in peace keeping in Africa,’ he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) and Women for Women International have identified social and cultural norms as barriers to women’s freedom of speech and participation in democracy in Nigeria.

They made this known on Tuesday in Abuja at a roundtable on the publication of a research project titled ‘Listen to Women: Identifying Barriers to Women’s Freedom of Speech and Participation in Democracy in Nigeria.’

They said that addressing these challenges would not only enhance women freedom of speech, but also enhance adequate participation in democracy.

Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Founding Director, WARDC, noted that the prevalence of sociocultural norms still affected the ability of women to participate in peace processes in their communities and states.

Akiyode-Afolabi said ‘Women who have information and could support peace processes are being denied the opportunity to participate in spite of the fact that the country has signed the UN security council resolution.

‘The peace securit
y architecture in the state is not allowing women and accepting women to be part of it.

‘The project is called Listen to Women: Identifying the barriers Against Women’s Freedom of Speech and Participation in Democracy. It’s a project that focuses specifically on Plateau State but however has a national coverage.’

She explained that one of the recommendations of the research was for government to engender its security architecture to ensure that more women participate, especially in Plateau State, where the research was carried out.

‘Plateau State has signed the Gender and Equal Opportunity bill into law, which allows for women’s equal participation, so we are calling on the government to ensure that the law becomes activated,’ she said.

Also, Zainab Gbobaniyi, Advocacy Coordinator, Women for Women (WfWI) said the event was aimed at disseminating the research findings.

‘The research being an evidence based and carried out in five communities in Plateau State cutting across three local governments of Jos E
ast, Riyom and Pankshin, tells the stories directly from the women themselves,’ she said.

Also, Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Mandate Secretary, said the direction of the present administration was geared towards promoting the well-being of women, increasing their political participation and empowerment.

Bemjamins-Laniyi, while speaking on domestic violence and early child marriage, said ‘forming coalitions, working with traditional councils and working with male champions have yielded a lot of results and I think that is a very good approach.’

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Ndigbo Unity Forum, a pan-Igbo socio-cultural group, has urged the Federal Government to recruit 500,000 additional policemen to beef up security in the country.

The Executive Director of the forum, Chief Augustine Chukwudum, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu.

He said that the recruitment should be spaced over the next seven years to secure the vast majority of citizens currently being harassed by criminals.

Chukwudum said that the number of policemen was greatly inadequate to police the vast Nigerian population.

The executive director said doing so would reduce the burden on the military personnel who had been deployed for internal security operations nationwide.

‘Soldiers are trained to protect the territorial integrity of the country while it is the duty of the police to provide internal security as it is done all over the world.

‘The current abnormality is due to bad and corrupt leadership of the past that failed to uplift the Nigeria Police Force to
the level it is supposed to be,’ he added.

He, therefore, advised President Bola Tinbu to order for the ‘massive and unprecedented recruitment of 500,000 policemen within seven years.

‘There is a need to release operational money on time to police commands, formations and units to carry out their duty as required.

‘Their operational and office budget is not supposed to be delayed at all.’

On the agitation for state police, Chukwudum said it would not augur well for the country.

According to him, state governors will use it to hunt-down political opponents.

He said instead of setting up state police, governors should use their security votes to equip the Nigeria Police Force to eliminate kidnappers, terrorists and other criminals in their states.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa on Wednesday said that his administration has put measures to rid the state of bandit and kidnappers.

Sule stated this in an interview with newsmen shortly after a courtesy call on the Vice President Kashim Shettima, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said that the State Government with the support of the Federal Government established a Military Super Camp in the area that was prone to bandits and kidnappers.

‘It took us a while to be able to stabilise the area. The road leading to the area where some of the bandits, kidnappers were actually settled down was very bad. We now constructed a major road in the area.

‘The Federal Government also constructed a major road that comes all the way from Benue into Nasarawa State which most of the transporters from the Eastern part of the country are actually using at the moment.

‘So, because of that we also established what you called Military Super Camp in the area. So there is presence of military in the area.

‘So, all those ki
nd of kidnappers, bandit and so on have all left, we don’t have any as far as those areas are concern.’

Sule stated that Nasarawa was always considered as one of the safest states to do agriculture and other things.

The governor said the state over the past three years, had been leading in so many areas of agriculture.

‘Today I’m happy to tell you we are number one in Sesame farming in the whole federation nobody does more than that.

‘We are number two in Yam production throughout the country. We are number two in cassava production throughout the country and we are number five in rice production.

‘So, if people are not going to farms, we will not be achieving this kind of numbers. These are the realities on ground.

‘These are things that you can go and find out on your own. So, as far as we are concerned there are no kidnapping in Nasarawa.

‘With the oil drilling I don’t think any of you has ever heard about kidnapping and things like that taking place. I think that is where we are,’ he said.

On why
he visited the Vice-President, Sule said he came to brief him about the agricultural activities in Nasarawa.

‘So, I came to visit him for two major issues, we have been doing a lot in the area of Agriculture which he has taken upon himself to ensure that things are going well.

‘So, he has been monitoring that himself and from time to time we visit and discuss on the agriculture which is of great importance to him.

‘I came also to discuss about the commissioning of the Lithium Factory that we are having on Friday.

‘As you know that this Friday we are going to commission a 4,000 Metric Tonnes per day Lithium Processing Factory which he has always been interested in knowing the outcome of what is happening.

‘We came to discuss that part of the preparations. In fact we are hoping Mr President himself will come to commission that factory on Friday.’

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd. says it has over 1.5 billion litres stock of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, which will last for over 30 days.

Mr Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd., said this in a statement on Tuesday.

The company called on motorists to shun panic buying of the product as the nationwide supply and distribution of PMS continued to improve across the country.

‘In the filling stations monitored across several states, including Lagos and the FCT, the queues have since thinned out, a development that will keep improving daily in other states.

‘The Company wishes to state that at the moment, it has over 1.5 billion litres stock of PMS, which is equivalent to over 30 days sufficiency.

‘The NNPC Ltd. is also collaborating with relevant agencies, such as the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), labour unions in the sector and security operatives to address hoarding and other unwholesome prac
tices,’ he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Employment and Labour Minister, Thulas Nxesi, says the collapse of the building which was under construction in George is a sobering reminder of the critical importance of prioritising safety in the workplace.

‘With the loss of lives and the entrapment of individuals, this incident has sparked a call to action for organisations to reevaluate their health and safety protocols and practices,’ Nxesi said.

This comes after a multi-storey building under construction in Victoria Street, collapsed on Monday afternoon with 75 construction workers on the site at the time of the incident.

According to the latest statement issued by George Municipality on Wednesday morning, the number of patients admitted has increased to 36, with 39 people still unaccounted for. Seven people have been declared dead.

Nxesi said it is imperative to recommit to the principle that no job is worth risking the safety or lives of employees.

‘Every effort must be made to prevent similar incidents in the future. Redoubling efforts to promo
te a culture of safety, vigilance, and accountability within organisations is paramount.

‘It is a collective responsibility to honour the memory of those lost by ensuring that their lives were not lost in vain. Strengthening the commitment to health and safety is essential. Let us work together to prevent such tragedies from occurring again,’ Nxesi said.

Nxesi conveyed his heartfelt condolences to family and friends of the deceased construction workers involved in the incident and wished the survivors a speedy recovery.

‘No words can adequately express the sorrow felt for the lives lost and the anguish experienced by those awaiting news of their trapped loved ones. Our thoughts are with them during this difficult time,’ Nxesi said.

The Minister said the department is receiving real time information on the ground from the department’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) inspectors and inspector general, who were dispatched on site when the incident came to the department’s attention.

‘We are also aware t
hat multiple disaster service personnel, including SAPS search and rescue teams, with sniffer dogs are involved in a rescue operation to retrieve the trapped construction workers.

‘A number of construction crew on site at the time of the incident and deceased workers have been reported, but at this stage we await final confirmations,’ Nxesi said.

He added the department will work through the teams on the ground and outlined protocols to communicate and update the public.

‘In terms of our processes, we will await the official handing over of the site to the department to enable us to proceed with investigations as per Section 31 and 32 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The handing over is normally preceded by the finalisation of rescue and recovery interventions,’ Nxesi said.

Source: South African Government News Agency