General
NHRC Begs 15 States to Adopt Child Rights Act
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has appealed to the 15 Nigerian states yet to adopt the Child Rights Act of 2003 to do so.
The 15 states are Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Borno, Ebonyi, Enugu, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara.
The Executive Secretary of the agency, Mr Tony Ojukwu, made the call in a statement in Abuja commemorating this year’s Children’s Day and commended the 21 states in Nigeria that have adopted the law.
Mr Ojukwu urged them to ensure that the provisions of the laws are fully implemented, noting that children deserve special attention and protection in order for them to fruitfully pass through the various stages of survival and development.
”It has become imperative for states who are yet to adopt the Child’s Rights Law to do so to avoid further violations of the rights of these vulnerable children.
”In Nigeria, the issue of out-of-school children, child labour, poor antenatal and postnatal care, child wandering, child abandonment, child denial of necessaries, Almajiri children syndrome, kidnapping, malnutrition, still rear their ugly heads.
“These, therefore, pose a serious challenge to the proper development of the child especially in states where the Child’s rights law is not in place,” he said.
He stated that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic brought to the fore the level of vulnerability of children in most parts of the world including Nigeria where a lot of children could not continue with their education.
He added as a result of poverty and deprivation because their parents or guardians could not afford an online system of education.
“Giving priority to the rights and welfare of the child will go a long way to curtailing the rising insecurity in the country.
“When the rights of children are neglected, they may grow up bearing grudges against the society and will likely be willing tools in the hands of mischief makers and enemies of the state,” he said.
He said the commission has championed various campaigns and interventions in support of the child’s rights across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to him, NHRC has successfully handled a flurry of complaints on child’s rights violations as several measures were put in place to entrench a culture of accountability for cases of rape.
He added also that the commission is tackling other forms of sexual and gender-based violence and all forms of human rights violations in Nigeria.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has been urged to extend the deadline for the payment of Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) by property owners in Abuja.
This plea for an extension was asked by the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) through a statement signed by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr James Ezema.
The group said the initial two-week grace period given to the affected allottees, which expired on Friday, January 3, 2025, was insufficient, considering the current economic challenges facing the country.
Recall that after public outcries, Mr Wike, who is the immediate past governor of Rivers State, granted an extension to the owners of the 762 revoked plots of land in Maitama, Abuja.
“We are appealing to the Minister and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to tamper justice with mercy and issue an extension in the spirit of the yuletide and in view of the economic challenges in the country,” the association stated.
It stressed that the extension would give the affected individuals and groups ample time to comply with the directive, thereby avoiding any undue hardship or loss.
“We pray that the Minister and the FCTA will grant the allottees an extension to comply with the directive, giving all the affected individuals and groups enough time to have themselves to blame at the end of the final extension,” the statement added.
The CNPP’s appeal comes on the heels of its recent expression of concern over the escalating hunger and suffering faced by millions of Nigerians due to the economic realities in the country.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has dissociated itself from an unofficial viral statement by one of it members, regarding posters indicating activities of the organisation.
The group dissociated itself from the member in a statement signed by its National President and the National Secretary, Mr Kabiru Ibrahim, and Mr Yunusa Halidu, respectively.
“This post is made by an authorized member, Ado A Ado Kano.
“The opinions and views expressed here are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the group, its administrators, or other members.
“For official statements, please refer to AFAN official contact or platform,” parts of the statement made available to Business Post stated.
According to AFAN, the unofficial posters flying around doesn’t represent the association, noting that Mr Kano is not authorized by AFAN or its officials but those of the author.
AFAN is the umbrella organisation for all farmers’ commodity associations in Nigeria.
Its vision and mission are to assemble all Nigerian producers into one organization, providing a single interlocutor for the government to address agricultural issues with the farming community.
AFAN was formed by the merger of the All-Farmers Association of Nigeria (ALFA) and the National Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (NAFAN). The merger was recommended by former Nigerian president, Mr Olusegun Obasanjo.
By Adedapo Adesanya
BUA Group has denied widespread reports that its ongoing construction of a 200,000 barrels per day capacity refinery located in Akwa Ibom State is 90 per cent completed.
In a statement signed on Sunday, the group with subsidiaries in food, cement, and energy sectors said that the claims that the structure was at end stage did not come from it.
“Contrary to a misleading report stating that our 200,000 barrels/day refinery is at 90% completion, BUA wishes to advise the public to disregard such misleading reports that did not emanate from us,” a part of the statement read.
It clarified that the project was progressing well and added that it was going to meet the project timeline of 2025.
“As we make remarkable strides on our Akwa Ibom refinery project, we are proud to share that construction is progressing steadily.
“Whilst the refinery is not at 90% completion, we are however on track to meet our delivery timelines in collaboration with our partners.
“This BUA Refinery & Petrochemicals project represents a major milestone in strengthening Nigeria’s refining capacity and energy security,” the group said.
BUA is also carrying out other energy projects, including the construction of a mini-LNG plant and several new hybrid power plants across the country, which it said are also progressing rapidly.
The group says this will add additional capacity to our over 1,000MW installed captive power generation capacity.
“The public is advised to verify any news through our official channels and platforms so as not to be misled by mischievous persons,” the statement said.
“At BUA, we remain committed to transparency and excellence. As we have consistently done with over 12 of our completed mega industrial projects worth over $ 3.5 billion in the past 10 years, we will continue to keep you updated with verifiable and accurate information only where necessary, and as milestones are achieved.
“We appreciate the public’s interest and enthusiasm for this transformative project as we work together in building a stronger industrial and manufacturing base for a self-reliant Nigeria,” it added.
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