Month: June 2024

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, Lucia Witbooi on Friday held a consultative meeting with the Otjozondjupa Regional leadership to discuss the mass mobile registration of national documents in rural areas of the region.

Witbooi told the meeting, which was held in Otjiwarongo at the Otjozondjupa Regional Council chambers, that the registration of identification cards and birth certificates is for those who do not have them.

‘The registrations are taking place at all seven constituencies at mobile centres identified by the local leaderships in those rural areas since 08 February this year until end of July 2024,’ she said

She therefore urged parents of children with no national documents to walk to these centres and acquire birth certificates and identity cards for their children or themselves if they also do not have them.

In the Otjozondjupa Region so far, nearly 4 000 inhabitants have applied for their birth certificates and identity cards during this government outreach
programme at Omatako, Okahandja, Otavi, Grootfontein, Okakarara, Otjiwarongo and Tsumkwe constituencies, she said.

Otjozondjupa Governor, James Uerikua, on his part urged officials of the ministry participating in the registrations of the national documents to visit Tsumkwe Constituency and register all the San people with no documents as by their culture they would prefer to give birth at home rather than at hospitals.

‘Also there are five families who recently entered Namibia from Botswana on a repatriation arrangement, and these people are in Gam area, and should also be visited to see how they can be helped,’ said Uerikua.

The meeting was attended by officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture and constituency councillors.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

The late Frieda Nandjala Daniel Nujoma, the sister to Namibia’s Founding President, Dr. Sam Nujoma was laid to rest at Oneeke Cemetery, Etunda in the Omusati Region on Saturday, in an official funeral attend by Namibians from all walks of lives.

Daniel died in Ongwediva Medipark on 12 June at the age of 91.

Passionately known as ‘Gwamundani’, Daniel was described by many as the epitome of authentic peace, love and genuine kindness.

She is survived by 3 children, 21 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

A musician, Maleke Moye has alleged injustice in the directive by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, for a take over of the ongoing trial of MTN Nigeria and its CEO, over alleged copyright Infringement.

The musician said that the minister’s directive for the prosecuting agency, Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC), to hands off the trial and forward the case file to his (AGF) office portends impending dangerous precedence.

Moye’s position is contained in a press release issued by his lawyer, Rockson Igelige, which was made available to newsmen on Saturday in Abuja.

It will be recalled that NCC filed criminal charges against MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd, Karl Toriola, its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Nkeakam Abhulimen, Fun Mobile Ltd. and Yahaya Maibe alleging copyright infringement.

In the three-count charge, before a Federal High Court, Abuja, NCC alleged that the defendants, between 2010 and 2017 ‘offered for sale, sold and traded for business”, infringed
musical works of Moye without his consent and authorisation.

The commission alleged that the defendants used musical works and sound recordings of Moye with subsisting copyright, as Caller Ring Back Tunes, without the authorisation of the artiste.

According to NCC, the alleged offences are contrary to and punishable under Section 20 (2) (a) (b) and (c) of the Copyright Act, Cap. C28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

At the last hearing in the trial before Justice Inyang Ekwo on June 15, NCC prosecution lawyer, Gladys Ojo had accused MTN Nigeria’s CEO, Toriola, of evading service of court documents

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However, in a letter dated June 19, referenced DPPA/JACK/271/24, the AGF, through the office of the Director of Public Prosecution, directed the NCC to ‘promptly’ hands off the trial, forward the case file and court processes to his office.

According to the AGF, the decision was taken, following a petition by MTN Nigeria and its CEO, and in l
ine with Section 174 (1) (b) of the1999 Constitution, relating to entry of ‘Nolle Prosecui’ in a criminal matter.

The section provides: ‘The Attorney-General of the Federation shall have power – (b) to take over and continue any such criminal proceedings that may have been instituted by any other authority or person.’

Section 174 (3) further provides that, ‘In exercising his powers, the Attorney-General of the Federation shall have regard to the public interest, the interest of justice and the need to prevent abuse of legal process’.

In a copy of the petition by the MTN Nigeria to the AGF, dated May 14, obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the company alleged that the charge was constituted to smear and embarrass MTN and its CEO.

MTN through its lawyer, Ogden Alade contended that the criminal charge was calculated to ‘harass embarrass and force the hands of its clients to do the bidding of the musician by paying hundreds of million of Naira for alleged act of infringement’

MTN said it complied w
ith the provision of applicable laws in the musician songs and did not connive with any person to defraud or violate the right of the musician

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The company added that it had indicated its goodwill and readiness to settle the case amicably under just and fair circumstances without undue pressure and influence, as well as prejudice to its rights and defence.

MTN said there is an ongoing civil suit on the alleged copyright infringement where the musician is seeking damages of N500 million, before another Federal High Court.

‘The prosecution of the case and trial of MTN and its CEO will erode the corporate image of MTN and depletes its profitability, thereby affecting its share price in the Nigeria’s stock market and taxes payable to the Federal Government by the company.

‘It will also discourage foreign investment for fear of harassment

‘It is in the light of this, that we wish to crave the kind indulgence of your good office in critically examining this
matter and exercising your powers under Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution in the overall interest of justice and to prevent abuse of legal process,’ the letter read in part.

Reacting to the decision of the AGF to the MTN petition, the musician alleged that the minister used his office ‘as a tool for oppression against an ordinary Nigerian’.

‘While we concede that the AGF is empowered under the law as the Chief Law Officer, to discontinue any criminal trial, we also know that the sacred trust vested in the AGF must not be abused.

‘The responsibility of entering a ‘nolle prosequi’ must actually be exercised justifiably.

‘Sadly in this instance, there is no justification, whatsoever, for the AGF to thwart the prosecution of MTN.

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‘The case, indeed, serves the crucial purpose of giving justice to Mr Moye who has expended time resources and energy to create a work of art which MTN and its cronies have willfully stolen and appropriated the income t
o themselves,’ Moye’s lawyer said.

He called on the AGF to allow justice to take its course and direct MTN to present its case in court.

According to him, doing otherwise would suggest that the AGF did not trust the Federal High Court, where the matter is pending, to do justice in the case.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Africa Business Ventures and Investment Group says it will assist Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and others access funding to address climate change and infrastructure deficit in Africa.

The Chairman of the Board, Mr Moses Owharo, made this known at the inaugural Washington DC edition of the African Infrastructure, Climate Change and Investment Summit (AICIS) and Exhibition held via zoom, on Friday.

The Summit with the theme ‘Fastening Collaboration with United States of America in Fostering Climate Resilient, Economic and Infrastructure, and Industrialisation in Africa’ was organised by the Group.

Those in collaboration with the Group include Office of Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), and the private sector.

Owharo, who is also a Harvard Business School Alumni, said the forum usually organised international conferences and Summit where policy makers, government and private sectors come together to look at challenging issues.

‘We have had pro
grammes in Ghana, Russia and other countries.

‘This one holding is in the Washington DC, USA and due to some challenges; we are doing it in both Nigeria and U.S. via zoom.

‘The objective is to set up a fund for Africa. That fund will assist organisations and even governments across Africa. This is because government cannot do it alone.

‘Where there are gaps, we want to close the gaps. So we will set up those funds that practitioners, NGOs, Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SMEs), local governments and countries in Africa will participate.

‘We will not do it alone, we will work with UN, American Government, Nigerian Government and other countries in Africa.

‘This is to ensure that our deprived NGOs, CSOs SMEs and citizens of African can have resources that can be used to be actively involved in climate change actions and area of economy development,’ Owharo said.

On the area of Mining, he said that a lot of small scales Miners in Africa did not have capital to involve in active mining.

According to him
, lack of capital usually push them into illegal mining that lead to collapse of mining site and death of Miners

He stressed that mining was a good venture but they needed training, capacity building and initial seed funding.

‘There is need to open a portal or data base for them.

‘That is one of the things that we are doing, especially with SMEs that are into commodity.

‘We want to help them package and showcase their commodity to the international community which will increase their revenue.

‘We also want to help them source for funding from funding agencies across the world,’ he said.

Owharo further explained that the group also had partners in health infrastructure that would want to donate medical equipment to institutions that could deliver quality health care services to their community.

He also said that the group was in collaboration with Ministries of Trade and Investment, Foreign Affairs, Environment and SGF, Climate Change Council and many others.

Owharo added that the group would expand an
d solidify its relationships with both international and local partners.

Meanwhile, Prof. Chris Schrage from the University of Northern Iowa, said that Africa needed to address the issue of mismanagement.

Schrage, who said that some African countries have unique transportation and educational system, added that climate change campaign should start from the schools.

She said that this was necessary to enable the young one get educated on dangers of climate change and how to address it.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that during the Summit, Dr Brima Deen and other experts on infrastructure, climate change and business investments from Washington DC and Abuja in Nigeria made impactful presentations.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria