Day: June 18, 2023

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has expressed disappointment over the alleged refusal of some states to allocate slots to Hajj Saving Scheme (HSS) contributors.

The commission’s Deputy Director of Information and Publication, Malam Mousa Ubandawaki, stated this in a statement on Sunday in Makka, Saudi Arabia.

Ubandawaki said those who enrolled through the scheme are facing inconveniences in Kaduna, Gombe, Jigawa and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“These states have attributed their actions to NAHCON and Jaiz Bank’s purported failure to timely remit the funds to the respective state boards.

“We categorically state that such excuses are baseless and unfounded.

“It is pertinent to clarify that Jaiz Bank promptly remitted the HSS fares to the states well in advance of this year’s hajj.

“This was even before many state pilgrim boards remitted their payment.”

He added that NAHCON and States Pilgrims agencies had earlier resolved that the allocation of seats be in the ratio of 60/40 percent to pilgrims under State Boards and the Hajj Savings Scheme subscribers.

Ubandawaki particularly berated Kaduna State pilgrims agency for trying to blame NAHCON for its lapses.

He said that the pilgrims welfare board ought to have reserved 40 per cent of the seats allocated to it, which was 2,000, for the HSS.

“Even at this, only 108 of the 2,000 expected enrolled via the scheme in Kaduna state out of the 6,255 allocated to them.

“What is playing out lately is that some states have been doing everything to consistently undermine the Commission and the scheme in many ways.

“While the commission has continued to show patience and understanding with them, obviously because of the fact that a new scheme or policy takes time before it bears positive fruits.

“Unfortunately, this is not the case with some states who have continuously strove to defame and blackmail the Commission in their contempt for the board and some of its policies,” he said.

Ubandawaki emphasised that the information disseminated by the Kaduna State Pilgrims Board and others was not only false but also malicious intended to vilify and blackmail the commission and damage its integrity.

“We therefore want to first thank the numerous subscribers on the HSS for their faith and trust in the scheme.

“And appeal to those who have been unjustly denied the opportunity by the various pilgrims boards to remain calm and abide by the law,” he said.

He assured that the commission was working to deal appropriately with the issue and bring to book those bent on undermining the policy or denying the subscribers the right to participate in the Hajj.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Saudi Arabian General Commission for Audiovisual Media (GCAM) has cautioned Nigerian journalists currently covering the ongoing 2023 Hajj against political and sectarian reportage.

The commission’s Director in charge of Jeddah Office, Alhaji Hamzah Algobishie, made the call when he received a delegation from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), led by its the Deputy Coordinator of Makkah, Alhaji Alidu Shutti, on Sunday.

Algobishie also urged the Nigerian media to be factual, fair, accurate and balanced while reporting all issues concerning the 2023 hajj related to Nigerian pilgrims.

He advised the media to work in accordance with the guidelines for hajj coverage in Makkah and Madina before, during and after the hajj rituals.

Similarly, the director enjoined members of the NAHCON media team to strickly limit themselves to reporting hajj affairs as their primary assignments for the Nigerian hajj commission in Saudi Arabia.

Algobishie emphasised the need for the media to avoid reporting any issues between the Saudi Arabian authorities and other countries.

The director, who stressed the need for journalists to adhere strictly to the ethics of the profession, expressed willingness of the organisation to offer clarification on issues that the media might seek explanation.

He, however, commended the Nigerian media for being responsive in reporting hajj activities in Saudi Arabia over the years.

” We are happy with Nigerian media for their conduct over the years. We are making some progress to ensure timely accreditation of the media.

” And we are ready to attach some of our personnel to guide the media on how to go about their reportage which is restricted to hajj activities.

” We have made it very clear to the Saudi Ministry for Hajj and Umrah to ensure that the media shun reporting politics and sectarian issues. They should also avoid reporting issues bordering on the relationship between Saudi Arabia and other countries.”

Algobishie pledged that the organisation would organise a capacity building workshop for NAHCON’s media team to broaden their knowledge and understanding of hajj and tourism issues in Saudi Arabia.

Earlier, Shittu had assured that members of the media team would continue to abide by the ethics of journalism and the guidelines for reporting hajj activities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

He disclosed that NAHCON mobilised about 50 journalists from different media organisations, including those broadcasting in some local langues to report hajj activities.

” This is because the 95,000 Nigerians left their families and relations in Nigeria who will like to be hearing about their loved ones in Saudi Arabia and through the media, the commission will keep them abreast of happenings here.

” On behalf of the Chairman of NAHCON, Zikrullah Hassan, we thank the General Commission for Audiovisual Media for its support and cooperation to the commission over years.

” The chairman wanted to be here personally but he is still in Nigeria to ensure that all pilgrims are transported to Saudi Arabia. You have been very supportive of the commission and we are

soliciting for more understanding.

” We assure you that the media will abide by the ethics of journalism and the Saudi Arabia rules and regulations.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the commission is responsible for the development, regulation and supervision of audio-visual media transmission and content in accordance with the kingdom’s media policy.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Esu Cultural and Development Association caretaker committee organized a press conference in Douala on Saturday, June 17, in reaction to a communique alleged to be from the Menchum SDO, calling for applications from persons wishing to occupy the throne after the passing of Fon Kum-a-Chuo II over a year a go.

The Esu Association members spoke bitterly, noting that they chose to respond through a press outing because the Senior Divisional Officer, Abdoullahi Alliou, had turned down their requests to hold talks with him in person.

Doubts were even raised on the authenticity of the communique circulating online “It seems like someone else wrote that communique using the SDO’s stamp and signature”. The chairman of the Esu Cultural and Development Association, Rev. Dr. Mih Clement Kum, said it did not look normal for the document to be written in the third-person narration “The Senior Divisional Officer for Menchum […] he calls on the members of the Royal Family…” an excerpt of the communique read.

Rev Dr. Mih Clement said if the SDO was the author, the pronoun “I” would have been used and not “He”.

The decree quoted in the document in an attempt to justify the SDO’s move, was equally deemed inappropriately used. The Association’s legal counsel Barrister Kum Charles argued that it was not in the SDO’s place to intervene in matters concerning enthronement in their village. He said as a second-class Fondom, it was within the powers of the Minister of Territorial Administration to intervene. Thus articles 08, 09, and 10 of decree No.77/245 of 15 July 1977, were wrongly interpreted according to the lawyer.

The fact that the notables in charge were not consulted by the SDO, also violated Article 11 of the same law, Barrister Kum Charles pointed out.

The Esu Association gave the Senior Divisional Officer two months to react to their outing, either taking their grievances into consideration or rejecting it. “If he rejects, the Governor will be consulted, and if it persists, we will take it to court” the chairman of the Esu Cultural Association declared.

Fon of Esu Kum-a-Chuo II and his wife were brutally assassinated on March 9, 2022, while returning from Weh, where they had gone to enthrone a new chief. The Esu people say they have never witnessed such a “sacrilegious” incident in their kingdom.

The community has been in mourning till today, as they wait for the right moment to enthrone a new ruler.

The Kingdom of Esu is found in the Fungon subdivision, Menchum division of the North West region. It is located some 89km from Bamenda.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Addis Ababa City Mayor Adanech Abiebie has launched today the fifth-round tree plantation program where 17 million seedlings will be planted as part of the Green Legacy.

Addis Ababa City Mayor Adanech Abiebie on the occasion said the intensive plantation will continue and 17 million saplings will be planted in this round.

The mayor recalled that in the first phase of the Green Legacy Initiative, 41 million saplings were planted in the city administration and 25 billion nationwide over the past four consecutive years.

Besides increasing Ethiopia's forest cover, the mayor noted that multipurpose seedlings have been planted for the beauty of the city and ensure food security.

According to her, tree plantation will be indispensable to respond to sever drought and flooding consequences arising from the impacts of climate change and affect the country and the world.

Therefore, the mayor called on every citizen to actively participate in the second phase of the green legacy intiative as usual.

Agriculture Minister, Girma Amente noted that Ethiopia's Green Legacy Initiative has taken the economic viability, social responsibility and environmental friedliness into consideration.

Noting that the country's forest coverage dwindled from 40 to 3 percent at some period in the past, he said that everyone has to give attention to tree plantation and participate in it to further increase the forest cover.

Some 6.5 billion tree seedlings are expected to be planted nationwide in the second phase of the Green Legacy initiative.

It is to be remembered that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched the second phase of the Green Legacy plantation program in the Afar region on June 8, 2023.

Similar to the first phase of green legacy initiative, additional 25 billion saplings are expected to be planted nationwide in the second phase of the initiative.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

At least 14 persons are said to have been summarily executed by government forces in Big Babnki village in the North West region, an informant has noted, adding that they are progressively interred.

“These guys were just suspected to be working with amba boys ( Cameroon separatists) since the presence of government forces all the amba boys disappeared,” someone updating CNA on the incident noted.

On Friday, June 16, 2023, government forces on the invitation of the traditional leader of the village, invaded the area, going after people suspected of working with separatists. But pictures shared of the victims, sent a narrative that the victims were separatists.

Some of the victims had Dane guns placed on them after the carnage.

The village is still in shock and consternation as more corpses are being discovered in the bushes. Some of the victims identified by a CNA informant are; popular bike riders called Promise and Ezekiel.

The quarter head of Mughu, Tih Emmanuel,( in traditional attire) was also killed, and the Kingmaker, Viyof, who lived in the Chubali quarter, was arrested and later found dead.

There is an exodus in the village as many fear they may be the next targets, “there is a massive migration of youths from the village because everyone is worried they don’t know who is next,” a source said.

On Monday, June 12, 2023, one person was shot dead by the Cameroon military, and his house was set on fire. This was the first gunshot heard in the village since the invitation.

The traditional ruler of Big Babanki, also known as Kedjom Keku, said the reason for inviting the government forces and pleading for the creation of a military post, is because the activities of the separatists have caused untold suffering.

Source: Cameroon News Agency