General
Rising Electoral Violence Cases Frighten CNPP
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has expressed concerns over the spate of attacks on facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and campaign rallies across the country.
Nigerian heads to the polls in February 2023 to elect a new President, governors and lawmakers.
Ahead of the general elections, there have been pockets of violence at political rallies, with attacks on politicians and their followers becoming rampant, in a few cases, leading to death.
In a statement issued on Monday, CNPP feared that the exercise is under threat despite assurances by relevant stakeholders, including INEC, that the poll would not be shifted.
The group, in the statement signed by its Secretary General, Mr Willy Ezugwu, warned that “unless political thugs were treated as enemies of the state, the ongoing attacks on political opponents would gravely endanger the credibility of the 2023 elections.”
“Despite the recent matching orders to the security agencies by President Muhammadu Buhari, which was reiterated by the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President, Mr Babagana Monguno, to the effect that the President has given the go-ahead to all security agencies to deal decisively with individuals or groups trying to prevent peaceful conduct of the 2023 general election, the hope of a violent free electioneering campaign may be dashed.
“Our major fear is that from the records of the federal government, as revealed by the NSA that Nigeria recorded 52 acts of political violence across 22 states in one month, between October 8 and November 9, 2022, there seems to be gross inaction on the part of security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Police Force to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of this violence.
“Worse still, after the recent emergency meeting of the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, Nigerians have seen nothing but inactions by security agencies in preventing or arresting and diligently prosecuting perpetrators of the ongoing electoral violence and their sponsors.
“Every lover of Nigeria and her future knows that, as far as violent attacks on political opponents and opposing political parties in states is concerned, the situation is becoming alarming as one of the elementary security measures is crime prevention.
“For instance, last week, there was a suspected politically motivated assassination of Victoria Chintex, the Labour Party women leader in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State, who was reportedly killed last Monday after gunmen invaded her residence and shot her.
“At the weekend, there were reports that the Labour Party’s rally in the Lakowe town area of Lekki, Lagos State, was visited with violence by suspected political thugs allegedly sponsored by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the area.
“In November, suspected APC supporters attacked supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubarkar, in Maiduguri, Borno State, just as on October 17, suspected thugs also disrupted the campaign train of the PDP in Kaduna State.
“In the same month of October, some supporters of the APC in Oyo State were reportedly injured in Ibadan during a campaign rally when some hoodlums in some vehicles allegedly launched an attack on the crowd.
“In Ebonyi State, a State Government sponsored security outfit, Ebubeagu, has been severally reported to have been unleashing against political opponents of the APC leadership in the state, among other several incidents of political violence in other states across the country”, the CNPP recalled.
“If truly President Muhammadu Buhari has given his directive through the NSA to all the operational intelligence and law enforcement agencies to ensure that the 2023 elections are held in an atmosphere devoid of any rancour, as the NSA has disclosed recently, why are we not seeing security agencies discouraging political thuggery in the country?
“We, therefore, call on all political party leaders at all levels to restrain their supporters both online and offline from carrying out violent activities against oppositions.
“This has become imperative as retaliations and counter-attacks by victims of the ongoing violence could degenerate the issues and worsen the current security situation in the country.
“We call on President Muhammadu Buhari, who was said to be extremely pleased with the outcome of the results of elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states to ensure a repeat of such performance in 2023, both by INEC and all security agencies, including the anti-graft bodies because an election is not war”, the CNPP stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
As part of its mission to elevate the effectiveness of public service across Africa, the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation has launched the fourth cohort of the AIG Public Leaders Programme (PLP).
Delivered in partnership with the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, this initiative has successfully empowered 169 public sector leaders since 2021, advancing the Foundation’s mission to train 3,000 public sector leaders by 2030, equipping them with the essential skills to drive impactful reforms and strengthen service delivery in their Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
The AIG PLP is an executive training programme that builds the capabilities of African public sector leaders, positioning them to deliver measurable results and foster cultures of integrity, excellence, and innovation.
The Foundation’s vision is to cultivate a new generation of leaders who can address complex challenges, implementing sustainable reforms that resonate across communities.
The programme has already showcased remarkable results as its alumni have implemented transformative reform projects in their various organisations, a core element of the curriculum, creating a ripple effect of positive change across sectors.
One such change project was implemented by Dr Ibiwunmi Olokun, Medical Officer of Health and Primary Health Care Coordinator at the Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board and a member of Cohort 3 of the programme.
Dr Olokun led a project at her Primary Healthcare Centre that reduced patient waiting times from 70 minutes to 30 minutes. This successful model is now being adopted in other units and facilities within her health district in Lagos State.
Additionally, Mr Mohammed Ahmed, Director and Chief of Staff to the CEO of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit and a Cohort 1 AIG PLP alumnus, has made strides in combating financial crimes in Nigeria.
His reform project focused on fostering partnerships between the government and the private sector to enhance financial intelligence aimed at tackling financial crimes.
Today, his efforts are reshaping financial crime prevention strategies in Nigeria through strategic public-private collaborations that empower the nation to address complex financial crimes more effectively.
The current cohort, which includes participants from Ghana and Kenya, has commenced virtual classes and is gearing up for an intensive, one-week residential programme in Abuja from November 18 to November 22.
During this time, participants will engage with the faculty from the Blavatnik School, Oxford, gaining strategic insights and practical tools to excel in their roles and to instil change within their MDAs.
With the launch of this new class, the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation continues on its quest to reshape public sector leadership in Africa.
By empowering leaders with the tools to champion reform and advance efficient service delivery, the Foundation remains at the forefront of impactful public service transformation.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Like a golden fish which cannot be hidden, the excellence of Egbin Power Plc has been recognised in faraway Zambia, where it emerged as the Best in Safety Performance in Power Generation Company in Africa at the 2024 AfriSafe Awards held in Livingstone, Zambia.
The Nigerian energy firm received this accolade for its commitment to safety excellence through the implementation of a series of initiatives to deepen its safety culture.
“The company’s consistent dedication to creating a safe and sustainable working environment has set a new benchmark for the power generation industry in Africa.
“This well-deserved recognition is a testament to Egbin Power’s relentless pursuit of excellence and commitment to high safety standards,” the founder of the AfriSafe Award, Mr Femi Dasilva, explained the reason for bestowing the award on the power generating organisation.
While receiving the award, the chief executive of Egbin Power, Mr Mokhtar Bounour, said, “This award is a testament to the unwavering dedication and tireless efforts of the board, management team and staff of Egbin Power. Our commitment to safety is not just a slogan; it’s a core value that permeates every aspect of our operations.”
“This award further validates our focus on deepening the culture of safety, and we are immensely proud of our team for making it happen. By working together, we have set a new standard for safety excellence in the power generation industry.
“We will continue to strive for continuous improvement and remain steadfast in our pursuit of a zero-harm workplace,” he assured.
The 2024 AfriSafe Award was graced by dignitaries, including ministers in the Zambian government, representatives of Nigeria’s House of Reps Committee on Safety Standards and Regulations. captains of industry and distinguished safety professionals from across over 24 African countries.
At a separate event held in furtherance of its commitment to safety excellence, Egbin Power held its annual QHSE Week, themed Egbin DNA: Building a Culture of Safety and Sustainability in the Workplace.
The Week was also attended by a delegation from the Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON) led by the National President, Stephen Awori Udezi; the chairman of the Lagos branch of the Institute Mr Sola Ogunleye; and others.
The high point of 2024 QHSE Week was the unveiling of the company’s new fire-fighting truck and also awards given to outstanding departments and employees who continuously demonstrated high commitment to improving Egbin Power’s robust safety management system, while upholding high safety standards in the course of duty.
Commenting on the annual QHSE Week, the Head of QHSE at Egbin Power, Mr Julius Akpong, said the company has a deeply entrenched safety culture and effective management system that guide employees and the company’s operations.
“At Egbin Power, we have built a strong safety culture and instituted a structured approach to occupational safety management over the years. Workplace safety is a priority and part of our core values: Safety, Professionalism, Integrity & Discipline, Commitment to Stakeholders, Environmental Consciousness and Sustainability (SPICES),” he stated.
In celebrating the week, employees participated in activities like family safety moments which included, aerobics, practical training sessions anchored by Nigerian Red Cross officials who enlightened staff and their family members on first-aid and firefighting techniques.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The United Kingdom has opened the biggest visa application centre in Africa in Lagos, Nigeria through the UK’s new commercial partner, VFS Global to ease the often burdensome process.
According to a statement by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), residents of Nigeria travelling to the UK can now book appointments to submit their visa applications through VFS Global’s new state-of-the-art Visa Application Centres (VAC) located in Abuja, Ikeja (Lagos) and Victoria Island (Lagos) which have commenced operations since November 19.
The UK is a popular destination for travellers across Africa, with Nigeria being among the highest nationalities by volume for UK visit visas, accounting for 5 per cent of the global total. In the African region, VFS Global will provide Visa Application Centres for the UK in 31 countries.
Commenting at the launch of the new UK Visa Application Centre which is situated in Ikeja, Lagos, the British Deputy High Commissioner, Mr Jonny Baxter, said, “I am delighted to witness the opening of this, the largest visa application centre in Africa. Nigeria remains one of the UK’s most important partners, and we hope that VFS deliver ever-improving services for those applying for visas to the UK.”
The Director of Visa, Status and Information Services at UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), Mr Marc Owen, said, “The opening of our new VAC in Ikeja marks an exciting milestone for UKVI and VFS Global in the provision of a world-class UK visa service here in Nigeria and elsewhere across Africa.
“In the year to June 2024, we processed more than 225k UK visas for Nigerian nationals across all categories and this new partnership demonstrates our continued commitment to ensuring our visa services are accessible, efficient and meet the needs of all applicants.”
Adding his input, the Head-Sub-Saharan Africa, VFS Global, Mr Alok Singhal added that, “We are excited to embark on this new journey with UK Visas and Immigration here in Nigeria. We have enjoyed a long-standing partnership with UK Visas and Immigration since 2003 and look forward to now bringing travellers from Nigeria our best-in-class services.”
According to the statement, UK visa customers can choose from optional services offered by VFS Global, to provide enhanced comfort and convenience. These include document upload assistance, Prime Time for application submission outside of business hours, SMS notifications, document checking service, and courier return of the passport once a decision has been made.
VFS Global’s Keep My Passport While Applying service allows customers to keep their passports once their application is submitted and biometrics have been enrolled. Customer will only need to re-submit their passport when a decision is reached.
Customers in Abuja can also submit their UK visa applications from the comfort and safety of their home, office, or any other preferred location with its On Demand Mobile Visa service.
In addition, their Premium Lounge service offers a personalised submission experience with dedicated staff members.
The UK government added a caveat that these services are completely optional and have no bearing on the processing timeline and outcomes of visa applications.
As a partner to UK Visas and Immigration since 2003, VFS Global offered visa services in 58 countries before the new contract and has now been awarded the contract to provide UK visa services in 142 countries worldwide.
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