Day: June 10, 2024

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Wonder Woman has called for increased collaboration by stakeholders to address

menstrual hygiene issues among secondary school students in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The group’s Vice President, Anne Dirkling, made the call during sensitisation workshop at the Federal Government Girls’ Collage Bwari, FCT, on Friday.

She said it is normal to sensitise young girls to understand menstrual health hygiene and to normalise as a natural growth pattern for the female.

She acknowledged the struggles of girls and women in Nigeria who faced period stigma in society, which is why the NGO came up with the sensitisation workshop.

She added that the project in support of the French Embassy in Nigeria provided a platform for girls to learn about puberty and adolescence in a safe, open environment.

‘We have containers across the town for people to drop plastic waste, and in exchange, we distribute reusable sanitary pads and soaps,’ she said.

According to her, plastic is n
ot used to make pads but to gather, sell to bottle recycling companies, and use the funds to purchase menstrual hygiene kits for vulnerable girls and women in society.

‘The Plastic Pads Project is conducted in partnership with other parts and Bwari Area Council by placing containers around town to collect recyclable waste.

‘The proceeds are used to provide sanitary hygiene kits, reusable pads, and soap to girls in the community,’ Dirkling said.

She emphasised the importance of normalising menstruation where girls could openly discuss and understand menstrual health, noting that ‘this would be possible by encouraging conversations and providing necessary products.

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‘The initiative aims to empower girls, reduce school absenteeism, and ensure they remain confident and focused on their education.’

The NGO Programme manager, Mr Kumbet Longdi, said the aim of the workshop is to inspire girls to take action for a period-friendly environment, thereby encou
raging them to gather plastic waste in exchange for sanitary pads.

One of the students, Blessing Efeoghene, who came overall best in the questions and answers session, commended the NGO for the initiative, saying ‘we will ensure that more plastic waste are gathered and deposited in the container given to us by the NGO.’

Thr News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that during the programme, a container was launched at the school, and 170 menstrual hygiene kits were distributed to the students.

The group explored various aspects of menstruation, societal perceptions, and the importance of menstrual health and hygiene through educative sessions and games with the students.

NAN reports that menstruation, or period, is normal vaginal bleeding that occurs as part of a woman’s monthly cycle, indicating the absence of pregnancy.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The first sitting of the National Assembly is expected to be held at 10am on Friday.

This, according to a statement released by the Office of Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.

South Africans cast their votes on 29 May in the country’s most contested elections since the dawn of democracy.

Section 51(1) of the Constitution empowers the Chief Justice to call the first sitting of the National Assembly after national elections.

‘During the first sitting of Parliament the Chief Justice will administer the prescribed oath or affirmation, as the case may be, to members of the National Assembly.

‘This is an oath or affirmation of faithfulness to the Republic and obedience to the Constitution which section 48 of the Constitution requires members of the National Assembly to take before they may perform their duties as members of the National Assembly,’ the statement read.

This will be preceded by the election – by the members – of the Speaker of the National Assembly.

‘Once the Speaker of the National Assembly has bee
n elected, he or she will then preside over the election of the Deputy Speaker. After the Deputy Speaker has been elected, the Chief Justice will then take over again and preside over the election of the President,’ the office explained.

The first sitting of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) is expected to be held on Saturday.

‘The Chief Justice will swear in, and administer the prescribed affirmation to members of the NCOP and thereafter preside over the election of the Chairperson of the NCOP. Thereafter, the Chairperson of the NCOP will preside over the election of the Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP,’ the statement said.

According to the office, Judges-President in the provinces have been designated by the Chief Justice to ‘determine the first sittings of the Provincial Legislatures in their respective provinces’.

‘In terms of the Constitution such sittings are also required to take place not more than 14 days after the declaration of election results. The Judges-President will administer the pr
escribed oath / or affirmation to members of the Provincial Legislatures, preside over the election of the Speaker of the Legislature and the election of the Premier,’ the statement said.

The sitting of the National Assembly and the NCOP will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigeria Youth League (N-Youth League), Robinson Adakosa, says the League will expose budding and skillful players to limelight.

Adakosa stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

He said that the management of the league would ensure that its objective of getting the best legs from the grassroots was actualised.

He thanked the Ministry of Sports Development for endorsing the upcoming N-Youth League.

Adakosa also expressed gratitude to the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and the Federal Capital Territory Football Association (FCT-FA), for their support.

He said the endorsement by the football bodies was a proof that the sports administrators want the best for the country’s football from the grassroots level.

The administrator said that their actions also showed that they believe in the youths to be the projectors of Nigerian football to the outside world.

He pro
mised not to let Nigeria down, adding that management will give its best in ensuring that the objective of the competition was strictly adhered to.

‘Our target is to expose budding, skillful and talented players to the national and international limelight.

‘Our target is equally to promote Nigerian football on the global stage. So, with the endorsement of the League, we promise not to let Nigeria down.’

‘We will make sure that the League is in line with the best global practices and regulations governing football worldwide,’ Adakosa stated.

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While noting that registration for participating clubs has commenced since June 1, he urged that the rules and guidelines should be strictly followed.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2024 Nigeria Youth League will commence in September.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Department of Transport says it is on track to deliver a new driver’s licence card and printing equipment for the country amid the initial challenges of finding a suitable service provider/s.

‘With the evaluation and adjudication of the bids completed, the department is almost on the brink of pronouncing a new dawn in the driving licence card environment, with the audit process being the only last hurdle standing in the way,’ the department said on Monday.

Cabinet gave a go-ahead for the department to produce a new driving license card for the country on 30 August 2022.

As a result, the department embarked on its first attempt to source a service provider to deliver a turnkey solution.

‘The above bid was advertised on 10 November 2022. This bid process was unsuccessful, resulting in a re-advertisement of the bid on 5 April 2023. Bid DLCA/2023/01: Provision of a Turnkey Solution for Personalisation of Smart Driving Cards in South Africa was advertised in the government tender portal,’ the department sa
id.

The above bid closed on 5 May 2023, and owing to its technical complexity, this bid continues to be under consideration, which requires the department to adhere to prescribed supply chain management (SCM) prescripts and regulations.

Guided by the above, the department received five bids from the following bidders:

Ren-form Corporate Print Media.

Nec Xon Systems (Pty) Ltd.

Muehlbauer ID Services

Gemalto Altron Fintech Southern Africa.

Idemia Identity and Security – South Africa.

With the evaluation and adjudication of the bid completed, the department has emphasised that the bid is undergoing standard and required probity/audit processes.

The department cannot finalise the bid process until the above is completed.

‘The department pleads for patience as it is prohibited by law not to poke its nose into the affairs of the bidding committees. In compliance with the rules and regulations on tender processes, the department can therefore not be characterised as lacking transparency. The department wil
l pronounce on this matter when all processes have been completed,’ it said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Nigeria’s media are among the institutions whose role in the struggle for the return of the country’s democracy in May 29, 1999 stand out.

In fact, the media remained unbowed in the heat of onslaught unleashed by the regime of Gen. Sani Abacha, now late and other military junta.

Many activists were involved in the struggle that ousted the military junta that hijacked political power through coups and counter coups for cumulative 29 out of 39 years of Nigeria’s independence in 1960.

Many human rights infractions were committed by the junta as democracy and rights activists such as Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka Ken-Saro Wiwa, Lola Omolol, Dan Suleiman, Ebitu Ukiwe and now President Bola Tinubu battled the military.

They found partners in a fearless media some of whom witnessed proscriptions and other forms of attacks as they rose stoutly in challenge of the Khaki junta.

Some journalists lost their lives in the struggle while others suffered other forms of deprivations, including ‘routine’ detentio
n in security agencies’ dungeons.

But in spite of the contributions made by the fourth estate of the realm, not much respect and recognition seem to have come their way 25 years after the unbroken democratic governance.

Most journalists, especially those in the private media organisations, are either poorly paid or not placed on salaries.

The problem of all important training and re-training of newsmen cut across both private and public media organisations.

Dr Chris Isiguzo, President of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), said it was unfortunate that in spite of their unquantifiable contribution to the return to democracy the media remain under appreciated by the society and politicians.

‘Journalists and media houses took immense risks, often facing persecution, imprisonment, and even death, to ensure that the voices of the oppressed were heard and for the calls on democratic governance to be amplified.

‘The press served as a beacon of hope and a rallying point for pro-democracy activists and groups, r
elentlessly exposing the injustices and human rights abuses perpetrated by the military regimes.

‘Their courage and tenacity played a critical role in mobilising public opinions and international support for the cause of democracy,’ he said.

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Isiguzo says in the 25 years since the restoration of democratic governance, the media has continued to play a crucial role in consolidating and deepening democracy in Nigeria.

‘It has been instrumental in holding government and public officials accountable, advocating transparency, and promoting good governance.

‘Through investigative journalism, the media has uncovered numerous instances of corruption and abuse of power, thereby contributing to the fight against corruption and enhancing public trust in democratic institutions,’ he said.

He said the implementation of restrictive laws; especially the Cybercrimes Prohibition Act of 2015 and the occasional hostility from certain government q
uarters underscore the ongoing struggle for true press freedom more than two decades after return to democracy.

Isiguzo insists that for democracy to thrive, it is imperative that the government not only respects but actively protects the rights of journalists to report freely.

‘Many Nigerians rely on the media to stay informed and hold leaders accountable. However, the relationship is sometimes strained due to issues of trust and credibility.

‘The proliferation of misinformation platforms and sensationalism in some segments of the media has led to skepticism among the public,’ he said.

Malam Ali Baba Inuwa, the immediate past Head, Politics Desk, News Agency of Nigeria believes that poor welfare and lack of common front among media professionals are top on the problems affecting the profession.

‘When the struggle for media salary structure was being pursued it was some journalists and proprietors of media organisations that scuttled it.

‘Yet it was the media that aided the struggle for enhanced salarie
s for medical doctors, nurses, legal officials and other groups,’ he said.

Inuwa, a retired veteran journalist also said that the albatross of media practice in Nigeria are both the society and government.

‘I began my media practice in the 1990s and the respect for the media then was better than what we are seeing now.

‘In spite the position of the media in the fight for the return of civil rule, the military had good respect and the people held journalists in higher esteem than now.

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‘I recalled with nostalgia, in NAN quarters then, it was only two persons that had Volkswagen cars, the salary wasn’t too fantastic and yet people respected us when they noticed we are journalists in social gatherings’ he said.

Inuwa, who recently retired from the services of NAN, said Nigerians, especially politicians, no longer regard the media and their contributions in restoration of civil rule.

‘I was driving an SUV vehicle recently and at a ch
eckpoint, security personnel stopped me, when I introduced myself as a journalist, he said ‘hmm,’ does journalist also drive jeep,’ he said.

Inuwa, however, urged Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to sanitise the profession by flushing out quacks, even as he urged the federal government to revisit the media salary structure demand.

This, he said, was important for Nigeria’s media to effectively operate as catalyst for social change.

For Emmanuel Ifesinachi, the Vice-President NUJ, South East Zone, it is unfortunate that the media was at the front burner in the struggle for the return of democracy but today treated as the goose that lays the golden egg.

‘Some journalists such as late Dele Giwa were manhandled, brutalised, jailed and even killed in the course of the struggle to restore democracy.

‘It is painful and unbelievable that the Media which served as the oxygen for democracy after its members’ paid high prize for the enthronement of democracy are now seen as misfit, unwanted, irrelevant and liabil
ity in the Society.

‘The political class now perceived the media as their enemies either that they don’t understand the function of journalism or they don’t want the society to properly assess information to enable the citizens enjoy full dividends of democracy’, he said.

Ifesinachi blamed quackery in the profession on poor welfare scheme because authentic newsmen were moving to more lucrative disciplines.

‘The media has been acting as a voice for the oppressed and a platform for pro-democracy movements.

‘During the military regime, journalists faced harassment, imprisonment, and censorship but persisted in exposing abuses and advocating for democratic values.

‘In the 25 years of unbroken democracy, the media has been instrumental in promoting transparency, accountability and civic engagement therefore should be recognised and given its place of honour,’ said Grace Ike, of ADBN Television Media Organisation and chairperson, House of Representatives Press Corps.

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, Wike

Ike said challenges such as press freedom limitations, harassment, and the spread of misinformation still persist, requiring efforts to safeguard journalistic independence and integrity.

According to her, the media should be a cornerstone in Nigeria’s quest for better governance, serving as a watchdog that holds leaders accountable, informs the public, and fosters transparency.

She observed that those basking in the euphoria of the silver jubilee of the nation’s return to democracy should be made to remember how democracy was won.

Igwe Nomeh, former state chairman of People Democratic Party (PDP), Ebonyi, shares the same sentiment as Ike.

He said as Nigeria celebrates democracy rule, the media should be respected for its role in the struggle that gave rise to the celebration.

‘In the dark days of military regime, journalists fearlessly put their lives on the line to expose various human rights violations which attracted both regional and international interests resulting to the return of civilian
administration in 1999,’ he said.

Nomeh added even the political class who today is the highest beneficiary of democracy was not too visible during the struggle.

‘I treasure the contributions of the media because without them, the military would have continued to hold everyone hostage,’ he said.

Nomeh observed with regrets that in spite the contributions of the media, not much attention is being given to the sector by the government.

He recommended a good welfare package and development of the profession through training and re-training as done in other climes.

It is evident that the media professionals in Nigeria have not been appreciated enough as evident in the poor welfare, working tools and environment in which they operate.

It is therefore incumbent on media operators, both private and public to re-evaluate what they provide for their media employees.

That is one of the best ways to ensure newsmen also enjoy the dividends of democracy which they worked for.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The City of Tshwane has set the wheels in motion towards formalising partnerships that will contribute towards addressing the city’s water and sanitation related challenges.

The National Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is among the strategic partners which the city has approached not only to be involved as a regulator, but to also collaborate on various issues and leveraging the department’s technical and financial resources to jointly address the metropolitan municipality’s other challenges, including the Hennops River pollution, Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works and inadequate human resources.

The City of Tshwane and the department have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on various strategic areas including infrastructure planning and development, water resource planning and infrastructure solutions, and capacity building for the municipal officials.

The agreement was signed on Monday by Tshwane City Manager, Johann Mettler and Deputy Director-General for Water and Sanita
tion Services, Dr Risimati Mathye, at the city’s headquarters in Tshwane House.

The parties said discussions are at an advanced stage to finalise a flagship engineering candidacy development programme, which will see the secondment of candidate engineers to the City of Tshwane, as well as professional engineers who will be contracted to the city for a three-year period.

A team of engineers has undergone training under the department.

In addition, the Department of Water and Sanitation will offer free mentorship through its database of mentors to the candidate engineers to assist them to obtain their professional registration with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA).

Once implemented successfully, the programme will assist the city in complying with the new ECSA Identification of Engineering Work Regulations.

Mathye said collaboration between the two entities is significant, particularly on the Water and Sanitation side, to fulfil its role as a regulator of the water and sanitation sector.

‘Ad
dressing our major water challenges requires a collaborative effort between the city and key water stakeholders and the DWS is one of those key players.

‘We have been facing significant water challenges which have been affecting some of our residents for a longer period [and] some of these challenges can be linked to ageing infrastructure and maintenance challenges at some of our Water Treatment Plants.

‘We are pleased by the will and zeal that has been shown by the city in ensuring collaborative efforts and allow us to work together in different spheres of government to ensure efficient services to the residents of Tshwane. It has always been our intention to work with local government across to capacitate them where we can, to achieve Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 6, to realise clean water and decent sanitation provision to communities,’ Mathye said.

Other key areas of collaboration that the MoU will focus on include:

Water resource planning and infrastructure solutions in line with
the city’s Climate Action Plan.

Infrastructure planning and development.

Collaboration on water and sanitation-related programmes.

Sustainable Development Goal 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation.

Training and capacity building including secondment of staff between the parties.

Education and awareness campaigns.

Knowledge-sharing.

Benchmarking of programmes like Green Drop, Blue Drop, No Drop.

Joint enforcement programmes for water pollution prevention.

Exploration of alternative water and sanitation technologies with DWS and its entities.

Key bulk infrastructure in line with the Metropolitan Spatial Development Framework and Regionalised Spatial Development Framework.

Any other additional area that the parties may agree to collaborate on in future.

The signed MoU reinforces the ideal of the Intergovernmental Relations Act, Act No. 13 of 2005 which implores a concerted effort by government in all spheres to work together and to integrate as far as possible their actions in the provision of s
ervices, the alleviation of poverty and the development of society.

Source: South African Government News Agency