Day: October 28, 2023

The National Population Commission (NPC) with the support of the United Nations Children’s Funds (UNICEF), has embarked on birth registration in Katsina State, targeting 797,209 children.

Mrs Ogbodo Adaku, UNICEF’s Focal Person disclosed this during the training of some ad-hoc registrants in Katsina on Saturday.

According to her, no fewer than 1,083 ad-hoc registrants were recruited to support in carrying out a massive birth registration drive across the 361 wards in the state.

She added that, “This massive birth registration drive is being organised in 23 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“We are doing this because we want to register as many as 12 million children in Nigeria that are not visible. You and I know that once a child is not registered, by legal implication, that child is not visible, it does not exist.

“NPC having that mandate, we have to do everything to ensure that every child is registered, irrespective of their locality.”

According to her, even if it is the remotest part of the country, they have to ensure that the child is registered and issued a birth certificate, which means by legal implication, the child has been recognised.

“The child has been given an identity, and can comfortably say they are Nigerians, that’s the purpose of this massive registration drive with the support of UNICEF.

“We are here in Katsina to train the ad-hoc registrants. In the past, we were doing manual registration, but the world has gone digital.

“We want to ensure that vital statistics, which is the data generated from civic registration, is disseminated so that the government can use it for good governance and implement policies for economic development,” she said.

She pointed out that the NPC wants to have a format where it would generate statistics that can be applied with other government organisations, “That’s why we are transforming from manual to digital registration.”

According to Mrs Adaku, the ad-hoc registrants were recruited at ward level, saying that they are familiar with their community and they can help in the registration of children that are not registered at birth by the NPC.

“In Katsina, the target population of children that we are looking at registering during this birth registration drive is almost 800,000.

“And there are 361 wards in the state, in each ward, we recruited three registrants, making 1,083 registrants across the state to work within their wards.

“We are grassroot orientated organisation, and we work within the community, that’s the only way we can ensure that every child, whether born in the hospital, or at home is registered and given a birth certificate.

“In fact giving a legal identity. That’s the essence of this exercise we embarked with the support of UNICEF,” she revealed.

According to her, the NPC is working closely with the National Orientation Agency (NOA), in terms of social mobilisation to inform people at the grassroots the importance of the exercise.

She added that all the necessary stakeholders were engaged in sensitising the public so that there will be no resistance. (NAN)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Barau Jibrin, has congratulated the Speaker of the Tanzanian Parliament, Rt. Hon. Tulia Ackson, on her election as the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

Ackson was on Friday in Luanda Angola, elected as the 31st President of the global parliamentary body, making her the first female African to lead the union.

She defeated three other female African parliamentarians to emerge as president.

Barau, in a statement on Saturday in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Ismail Mudashir, expressed optimism that Ackson would lead the body to promote peace, democracy and sustainable development around the world.

He also congratulated the President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, on his election into the Executive Committee of the IPU.

Jibrin described Akpabio’s election as a further confirmation of the importance of Nigeria within the comity of nations

” The election of the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, CON, into the Executive Committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is a further recognition of the importance of our country and her democracy within the comity of nations.

” I congratulate the President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio and indeed, all Nigerians for this feat as the National Assembly further engages in parliamentary diplomacy to achieve global peace and harmony,” he said.(NAN)www.nannews.ng

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) has trained about 50 Nigerian Police officers to enhance the professionalism and ethical conduct of the Police Force.

Speaking at the training in Abuja, the Chief Executive Officer, PPDC, Mr Jubril Shittu said that the training aimed to promote improvement in the justice system through training, capacity building, and information exchange.

Shittu said that “PPDC is not just engaging but also looking at improving case management and information management.

“PPDC is dedicated to enlightening Nigerian police officers on crucial legal frameworks which encompass the administration of criminal justice Act, the Police Act 2020, and the overarching Rule of Law.”

On his part, the Commissioner of Police, Anti Fraud, FCID, CP Akoh Gabriel, while thanking PPDC for the initiative, urged the participating officers to pay rapt attention so as to enhance their knowledge.

Gabriel said the training would help to improve the professionalism of the police as well as strengthen public trust in the Police.

According to him, the training will help for better understanding among the police and legal professionals to enhance the justice system.

“This training programme is an invaluable investment in the future of the Nigerian Police Force as it will help to promote the rule of law in Nigeria.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Public and Private Development Centre is a non-governmental organisation.

Through its ‘Access to Justice Programme’, the organization is committed to supporting the protection of human rights by ensuring easy and non-discriminatory access to courts of law and the transparency of judicial functionaries. (NAN)(www.nannews.com.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Sen. Abdul’aziz Yari (APC-Zamfara) on Saturday donated 40 android smartphones to All Progressives Congress (APC) social media handlers in the state.

Presenting the phones to the beneficiaries in Talata-Mafara at a one-day workshop for APC social media handlers, Yari urged them to promote peace building and political stability in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was organised by Sen Yari’s New Media office.

The lawmaker represented by the Zonal Coordinator, APC Zamfara West Senatorial District Campaigns, Alhaji Sha’ayau Sarkin-Fawa, described the contributions of the social users in building the party in the state as successful.

“I am very delighted to be with you today, I appreciate your support and contributions for maintenance of peace and political stability in the state.

“This gesture is a recognition to your contributions in building the APC in the state.

“You know, social media handlers play a greater role information dissemination globally,” Yari said.

“I believe your support contributed immensely for the success of the APC in the state.

“Your activities are always promoting our great party, I want you to maintain the tempo in promoting peace building and stability.

“I therefore urge you to maintain your good efforts, you should always put nations’ interest first for peace sustainability in our dear country,” he explained.

In his remarks, the Director-General New Media to Sen. Yari, Almansur Almajir, said the workshop aimed to enhance the capacity of the participants.

Almajir commended Yari and Minister of State Defence and former Gov. Bello Matawalle for their support and cooperation in building the APC in the state.

“No fewer than 40 participants of thepis workshop were been drowned from the Six local government areas of Zamfara West Senatorial District,” he added.

In their separate remarks, the Chairman Zamfara APC social media crew, Muhammad Lawal and former Senior Special Assistant to Matawalle, Abdul Bala commended Yari for enhancing the capacity of social media handlers in the state.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Lagos, A public affairs analyst, Mr Jerry Amao, says any erring Nigerian found guilty of negligence or economic sabotage, which could bring the country into disrepute, should be treated as criminal.

Amao said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) on Saturday in Lagos.

He also recommended that, henceforth, any government official found wanting in decision-making should be held responsible for any financial breach against the Nigerian government.

The consultant was reacting to the Oct. 23 victory by Nigeria, at a London High Court which set aside the arbitration award of January 2017 by PandID, a British Virgin Islands company against Nigeria.

He added that punitive action on any untoward act against the country should be countered with force.

According to him, those in position of responsibility and decision-making must, henceforth, be held liable for any misdemeanour and answerable for their actions.

‘’The tribunal identified several instances where key recommendations concerning the arbitration were not acted upon by the officers responsible, including Ministers of Justice and of Petroleum Resource.

‘’The court has come to Nigeria’s rescue this time, but it is clear from the judgement that if the heads of the relevant ministries had performed their duties effectively, this case might not have arisen at all,” Amao said.

The consultant opined that the court was ‘’very critical’’ of the Gas Supply and Purchase Agreement, (GSPA) to supply gas to a PandID project that was to be located in Calabar, Cross River State.

‘’One of the major lessons from the case is that the nation must ensure that contracts entered into by government are prepared by competent and experienced legal and other experts.

‘’The court was very critical of the GSPA and the obligations that Nigeria assumed under the contract,’’ the expert noted.

Recall that the country was triumphant in a London Court which set aside the arbitration award obtained in January 2017 by the British firm against Nigeria.

Originally, the award was about $6.6 billion but rose to about 11billion as of the date of the final judgement because of interest.

The PandID had instituted the suit against Nigeria before the arbitral tribunal, alleging a breach of agreement for the supply of gas to a project to be located in Nigeria’s Cross River State.

However, Nigeria was able to, successfully obtain leave of the London High Court in September 2020 to appeal against the tribunal award, the hearing which lasted eight weeks between January and March.(NAN)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria