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CPC to play pivotal roles in safeguarding Nigerians from tobacco harms

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CPC to play pivotal roles in safeguarding Nigerians from tobacco harms

Director- General of the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Babatunde Irukera, has promised that the Council will support efforts to safeguard Nigerians from tobacco harms.

CPC-NTCA
L-R: Hilda Ochefu of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids; Akinbode Oluwafemi, Chair of Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) Board; and Mr. Babatunde Irukera, DG of Consumer Protection Council (CPC), in Abuja

Irukera made the promise when the tobacco control community comprising a host of civil society groups visited the Council’s headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, July 19, 2017.

The team, on the platform of the Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA), included Environmental Rights Action, Cedars Foundation, and representatives of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

Akinbode Oluwafemi, chair of the board of Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA) who led the delegation, commended Irukera on his new appointment which, he said, was tied to the DG’s passion for fighting injustices as exemplified in his role as counsel to Lagos government in the suit against tobacco transnationals in 2007.

Oluwafemi however noted that nothing has changed since then as the tobacco industry has recalibrated and now targets women and children in a renewed effort to get replacement smokers. He also revealed new developments in the TI strategy including intimidatory tactics and litigation against countries in Africa that plan to implement Tobacco Control laws.

The NTCA boss mentioned the recent Philip Morris International expose by Reuters and the revelation that some Nigerian delegates may have been compromised in attempts to thwart the FCTC implementation across the globe. Particularly worthy of mention, he added, should be the comments of a Nigerian delegate that the “Tobacco menace” is a myth.

He reminded the DG that the National Tobacco Control Act presents an opportunity to protect millions of Nigerians from tobacco addiction and its health, social, economic and environmental impacts.

He went on to stress that the magnitude of tobacco industry incursions into the country compelled the Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, to seize the occasion of WNTD2017 to announce that nine provisions of the NTC Act will be enforced before the end of 2017.

The nine provisions are:

  1. Prohibition of sale of tobacco products to and by anyone below 18.
  2. Ban of sale of cigarettes in single sticks. Cigarettes must be sold in packs of 20 sticks only.
  3. Smokeless tobacco shall be sold in a minimum of a pack of 30 grams.
  4. Ban of sale or offer for sale or distribution of tobacco or tobacco products through mail, internet or other online devices.
  5. Prohibition of interference of tobacco industry in public health and related issues.
  6. Prohibition of smoking in anywhere on the premises of a child care facility; educational facility; and health care facility. Other prohibited places for smoking include playgrounds; amusement parks; plazas; public parks; stadium, public transports, restaurants, bars, or other public gathering spaces.
  7. Prosecution of owner or manager of any of the places listed above, who permits, encourages or fails to stop smoking in the above listed places.
  8. Prohibition of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship of any kind.
  9. Compliance with specified standard for content as set out by Standards Organisation of Nigeria

Going further, he pointed out that an opportunity exists for the CPC to play a pivotal role in the enforcement of the nine provisions because of the national nature of its work.

Hilda Ochefu of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids in her intervention, said CSOs are ready to partner with CPC in building the capacity of its staff to play roles in enforcing the nine provisions announced by the Minister of Health.

Ochefu implored the CPC to use its national structure to drive the enforcement of the nine provisions and champion the cause of smoke-free Nigeria.

She said CPC should adopt tobacco control as one of the key areas for intervention in its work to save Nigerians from the scourge of tobacco and lend its voice to calls for  fast-tracked  adoption of the TC regulation  by the parliament.

Report identifies increase in tobacco control policies in last decade

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Report identifies increase in tobacco control policies in last decade

The World Health Organisation (WHO) latest “WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic” published on Wednesday, July 19, 2017 finds that more countries have implemented tobacco control policies, ranging from graphic pack warnings and advertising bans to no smoking areas.

Cigarette-smoking
According to scientists, tobacco smoking is dangerous to health

About 4.7 billion people – 63% of the world’s population – are said to be covered by at least one comprehensive tobacco control measure, which has quadrupled since 2007 when only one billion people and 15% of the world’s population were covered. Strategies to implement such policies have saved millions of people from early death.

However, the tobacco industry continues to hamper government efforts to fully implement life- and cost-saving interventions, according to the new “WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2017”.

“Governments around the world must waste no time in incorporating all the provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control into their national tobacco control programmes and policies,” says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “They must also clamp down on the illicit tobacco trade, which is exacerbating the global tobacco epidemic and its related health and socioeconomic consequences.”

Dr Tedros adds: “Working together, countries can prevent millions of people from dying each year from preventable tobacco-related illness, and save billions of dollars a year in avoidable health care expenditures and productivity losses.”

Today, 4.7 billion people are protected by at least one “best practice” tobacco control measure from the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), 3.6 billion more people than in 2007, according to the report. This progress has been possible because governments have intensified action to implement key measures of the WHO FCTC.

Strategies to support implementation of tobacco demand reduction measures in the WHO FCTC, like the “MPOWER” measures, have saved millions of people from early death, as well as hundreds of billions of dollars in the past decade. MPOWER was established in 2008 to promote government action on six tobacco control strategies in-line with the WHO FCTC to:

  • Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies.
  • Protect people from tobacco smoke.
  • Offer help to quit tobacco use.
  • Warn people about the dangers of tobacco.
  • Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.
  • Raise taxes on tobacco.

“One in 10 deaths around the world is caused by tobacco, but we can change that through MPOWER tobacco control measures, which have proven highly effective,” says Michael R. Bloomberg, WHO Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies. “The progress that’s been made worldwide – and documented throughout this report – shows that it is possible for countries to turn the tide. Bloomberg Philanthropies looks forward to working with Director-General Dr Tedros and continuing our work with WHO.”

The new report, funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, focuses on monitoring tobacco use and prevention policies. It finds that one third of countries have comprehensive systems to monitor tobacco use. While this is up from one quarter of countries monitoring tobacco use at recommended levels in 2007, governments still need to do more to prioritise or finance this area of work.

Even countries with limited resources can monitor tobacco use and implement prevention policies. By generating data on youth and adults, countries can, in turn, promote health, save healthcare costs and generate revenues for government services, the report finds. It adds that systematic monitoring of tobacco industry interference in government policymaking protects public health by shedding light on tobacco industry tactics. These include exaggerating the economic importance of the tobacco industry, discrediting proven science, and using litigation to intimidate governments.

“Countries can better protect their citizens, including children, from the tobacco industry and its products when they use tobacco monitoring systems,” says Dr Douglas Bettcher, Director of WHO’s Department for the Prevention of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs).

“Tobacco industry interference in government policy-making represents a deadly barrier to advancing health and development in many countries,” says Dr Bettcher. “But by monitoring and blocking such activities, we can save lives and sow the seeds for a sustainable future for all.”

 

Other key findings

The “WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2017” also finds that:

  • 43% of the world’s population (3.2 billion people) are covered by two or more MPOWER measures at the highest level, nearly seven times as many people as in 2007.
  • Eight countries, including five low- and middle-income countries, have implemented four or more MPOWER measures at the highest level (Brazil, Islamic Republic of Iran, Ireland, Madagascar, Malta, Panama, Turkey and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland).
  • Monitor: Nepal, India and the Philippines are among countries that conducted WHO-backed initiatives to monitor tobacco use and then implemented measures to protect people from tobacco.
  1. Nepal introduced the world’s largest health warnings on tobacco packaging surfaces (covering 90% of the package) in May 2015 after using a set of household tobacco survey questions that allowed authorities to detect a high prevalence of adult male smokers and users of smokeless products.
  2. India launched a nationwide tobacco cessation programme and toll-free quit line in 2016 after conducting a “global adult tobacco survey” in 2009–10 that revealed high interest among almost 1 in 2 smokers and users of smokeless products to quit eventually.
  3. The Philippines’ landmark Sin Tax Reform Law was passed in 2012 after its 2009 national adult tobacco survey showed high smoking rates among men (47.4%) and boys (12.9%). Such strong tobacco demand reduction measures have contributed to declining tobacco use, according to its 2015 adult tobacco survey results.
  • Protect: Comprehensive smoke-free legislation is currently in place for almost 1.5 billion people in 55 countries. Since 2007, dramatic progress has been witnessed in low- and middle-income countries, 35 of which have adopted a complete smoke-free law since 2007.
  • Offer: Appropriate cessation treatment is in place for 2.4 billion people in 26 countries.
  • Warn: More people are protected by strong graphic pack warnings than by any other MPOWER measure, covering almost 3.5 billion people in 78 countries – almost half the global population (47%).
  • Warn: 3.2 billion people live in a country that aired at least one comprehensive national anti-tobacco mass media campaign in the last two years.
  • Enforce: Bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship interfere with the tobacco industry’s ability to promote and sell its products, and reduce tobacco use. But only 15% of the world’s population is currently covered by a comprehensive ban.
  • Raise: Raising taxes to increase tobacco product prices is the most effective and cost-efficient means of reducing tobacco use and encouraging users to quit. But it is one of the least used tobacco control measures.

According to the WHO, tobacco use is the leading single preventable cause of death worldwide, killing over seven million people each year. Its economic costs are said to be enormous, totaling more than 1.4 trillion in health care costs and lost productivity.

Climate change: UN surveys private sector actions to identify opportunities, risks

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Climate change: UN surveys private sector actions to identify opportunities, risks

A survey of private sector actions to deal with the consequences of climate change is being carried out by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Adaptation Committee to identify opportunities and risks for businesses.

Asun St Clair
Asun St Clair, Business representative to the Adaptation Committee

Businesses face increasing risks, significant financial challenges as well as opportunities both now and in the future because of climate change impacts such as floods and droughts. Adaptation refers to actions to deal with such impacts.

A 2015 study by The Economist Intelligence Unit estimated the value at risk, because of climate change, to the total global stock of manageable assets as ranging from $4.2 trillion to $43 trillion between now and the end of the century.

With this in mind, the UNFCCC Adaptation Committee aims to engage more closely with the private sector, enabling greater action to adapt to climate change impacts.

All private sector companies, organisations and networks, big and small, from around the globe, are warmly invited to complete a quick survey of their efforts. The survey contains 12 questions, and takes only five minutes to complete on-line. The survey is open until August 4, 2017.

The survey can be accessed here.

The results of this survey will be used in two ways:

  • They will provide a basis for the UNFCCC Adaptation Committee to advance their engagement of the private sector in climate change adaptation action.
  • They will be communicated back to businesses, so that the private sector can also begin identifying how much adaptation action is being taken by participating businesses.

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are the economic backbone of many societies, are already very vulnerable to natural disasters. Many SMEs believe they need to start focusing on adaptation, but they require help in moving from intent to action.

“Moving towards a resilient economy does not only address climate risks, but also presents many opportunities for businesses. We urge Senior Managers, Chief Sustainability Officers or Chief Financial Officers of as many businesses and industry associations as possible to take this survey so that we can better understand the risks but also opportunities for the private sector, and plan adaptation action together,” said Ms. Asun St Clair, Business representative to the Adaptation Committee.

“With the impacts of climate change already visible and increasing, the private sector has a crucial role to play in collaboration with governments in the transition to low-carbon, resilient and sustainable development, as reaffirmed in the Paris Agreement,” she said.

Ex-workers sue British American Tobacco for incapacitation, unlawful disengagement

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Ex-workers sue British American Tobacco for incapacitation, unlawful disengagement

Four former employees of the British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) sacked for medical redundancy have taken the company before a National Industrial Court seeking a declaration that their sack was unlawful.

batn-1
Dismissed BATH workers at the November 2016 media briefing in Lagos: L-R: Winsfon Ofulue, Dasilva Ayodeji, Awe Ayodele, Alabi Adekunle, and Folarin Shamsudeen

Timothy Makinde, Ayodeji Da Silva, Taofeek Alabi, and Ayodele Awe are claiming N50 million each as general damages for the company’s refusal to follow the procedure for “Disengagement of Medical Grounds” as stipulated in the Employee Handbook and Employee’s Compensation act.

They are also seeking, as alternative claims, the sums of N39 million, N48 million, N34 million, and N32 million respectively as special damages.

Joined as defendants in the suit before Ibadan Division of the National Industrial Court is the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund Management Board.

Mr. Makinde, 34, who was employed in 2004 as a Manufacturing Assistant, was disengaged in 2016 after he was diagnosed with Osteoarthritis, a medical condition that causes pain and stiffness at the joints.

Before his employment at BATN, Mr. Makinde was made to undergo a mandatory medical test at the Lagoon Hospital, Apapa, Lagos, where he was certified fit.

He said he never had any medical history of Ostheoarthritis; adding that in the course of discharging his duties as a manufacturing assistant in the company’s Secondary Manufacturing Department, he was made to manually load, regularly, the cigarette trolleys which weighed 70 kilogrammes.

The employee also said the company forced him to work him to work a 12-hour shift arrangement for six days of the week.

“I was not given any sick leave prior to the termination of my employment on ‘medical grounds’,” Mr. Makinde stated in his witness deposition before the court.

“There was no medical examination conducted on me by a team of assessors which composition should be: company medical advisor, my physician, and an independent occupation health physician.”

For Mr. Da Silva, who was employed in 2006 as a Technical Trainee, his job description included manual checking of tobacco and filter, running of machine for 12 hours, and manual blowing and cleaning of tobacco dust.

It also included removal and carrying of launch belt and a large fan weighing 100kg and 60kg respectively during maintenance as well as clearing of tobacco blockage among others.

But in 2011, during the company’s periodic sports week, he sustained a knee injury during a football game which was left untreated for weeks because the medical personnel said he needed to get the approval of management.

By the time he was instructed to go to a hospital, both knees had become swollen and an arthroscopy surgery performed in 2013 showed he had a cruciate ligament damage (exterior and posterior) that would require serious physiotherapy and knee filling.

Mr. Da Silva said BATN abandoned him at the hospital for weeks and he ended up paying N85,000 for his treatment before returning to work.

“On the 24th of January, 2014, while I was on night duty and on the way from the human resources manager’s office, I fell down on the staircase due to a weak knee,” Mr. Da Silva stated.

Ignoring medical suggestions that Mr. Da Silva be re-assigned to a department which will not require him to stand for long periods, BATN allegedly terminated his employment in October 2016.

Like Mr. Da Silva, Mr. Alabi was also employed as a Technical Trainee in 2004 and, according to him, BATN failed to put in place appropriate safety measures at the workplace causing the staff to work without a standard noise mask and professional safety boot.

As a result of the defects, Mr. Alabi said after 10 years of exposure to tobacco dust, machine vibrations, laser fumes, noise and carrying heavy equipment; he developed cervical and lumbar spondylosis.

“I noticed that I couldn’t turn my neck again, I started having pains whenever my neck is turned,” said Mr. Alabi, 41.

“The pain increases day by day till a Sunday, the 8th of February, 2014, when I left for one of the company’s hospital (Tobi Hospital) on BATN list at Felele, Ibadan. Some drugs were prescribed, e.g. tramadol, di-clofenac and the likes.

“On administering the drugs, it was as if it was the drugs that put the pains on my neck, but after completing the dosage, I started feeling the pain again. I went back to the same hospital on the 15th day of February, 2014, and all the drugs were repeated, but this time around there was no effect of those drugs on the pain.”

Despite visiting many hospitals and seeing several doctors, Mr. Alabi said his condition did not improve.

On May 5th, 2016, he received a letter from BATN terminating his employment, he added.

Mr. Awe, who was employed in 2003, worked as a machine operator where he packed cigarettes into packets, cleaned machines using compressed air, used of silicon spray, as well as exposed to heat when the chiller was down. He said he worked for over five years on the production floor without standard work gears.

Four years later, he developed chronic asthma and high blood pressure, conditions that were alien to him as he passed the company’s pre-employment medical tests.

“Domestically and environmental wise, I dare not move near the kitchen whenever my wife is frying or cooking because of the smoke and heat,” said Mr. Awe, a father of three.

“I used to be an active football player, I dare not play ball for five minutes, my breathing will change, I am an endowed singer, today I can’t sing even in church again my breathing will change. I am not normal again.”

On Tuesday, November 23, 2016, seven of the BATN disengaged staffers addressed a press conference in Lagos, where they alleged, among other claims, that they were exposed to raw tobacco leaves, worked in poorly-ventilated environment, suffered various illnesses and unceremoniously discharged from work due to the condition they found themselves.

The ex-staffers were: Dasilva Ayodeji, Winston Ofulue, Awe Ayodele and Alabi Adekunle. Others are Folarin Shasudeen, Makinde Timothy, and Jokanola Folarin.

But BATN in a reaction reiterated its commitment to the welfare of its employees, saying that it is part of its internal human rights policy.

It added; “These allegations are based on labour issues which were managed according to our policies and ranged on various issues, which included poor performance, disciplinary issues as well as health related redundancy. All these cases were objectively determined in line with our internal processes, global policies and all extant Nigerian Laws.”

GMOs: Scientists asked to simplify biosafety information

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GMOs: Scientists asked to simplify biosafety information

Scientists have been asked to simplify information about their work and technologies for the public to understand.  One of the technologies that researchers are still failing to communicate to the public effectively is modern biotechnology.

Biosafety Communication (ABBS) Symposium
Participants attending the Agri-biotechnology and Biosafety Communication (ABBS) 2017 Africa Symposium

Modern biotechnology is a term adopted by international convention to mean techniques for the manipulation of genetic material beyond natural breeding barriers.

And for this to be fully embraced in Uganda there is a bill before parliament seeking to have a law that will regulate the technology, facilitate its safe use and redress.

The observation was made by the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Elioda Tumwesigye while officiating at the opening of Agri-biotechnology and Biosafety Communication (ABBS) 2017 Africa Symposium held at Laico Lake Victoria Hotel, Entebbe in Uganda.

The symposium attracted scientists, regulators, policy makers and communicators from Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa, Senegal, Togo, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Mali, Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Malaysia, Belgium and America. It was conducted under the theme “Strengthening communication for improved biosafety management”.

It was organised by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA AfriCentre) with support from the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST), NEPAD, COMESA, SCIFODE and Ministry of Agriculture.

The symposium was also aimed at providing an opportunity to share experiences and best practices on biosafety communication in Africa.

The participants further exchanged information about the regulation and safe use of biotechnology research tools and products, which they said is an often neglected aspect of the risk analysis and decision-making process for genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which requires urgent investment and development.

They noted that symposium was critical in Africa where various products are under development and promising to provide staple crops that are resistant to diseases and pests, more nutritious, and survive in increasingly challenging climatic conditions.

According to the minister, scientists still fail to explain agricultural biotechnology to the public and yet they must communicate the technology to ordinary people, adding that they should take advantage of the symposium to improve their communication skills.

“One way of effective communication about agricultural biotechnology, scientists must explain in simple terms and tell the public how the technology works and how it will help in solving challenges that farmers face in the country,” he said.

Tumwesigye admitted that Uganda is experiencing excessive drought as a result of climate change, fall in rain patterns, famine, starvation to the extent of people dying yet technology have the capacity to address scarcity of water and improve food security.

Uganda’s ability to have adequate and nutritious food is being challenged; some people have died of hunger. Those who have are not eating enough and not even well balanced diet, as result many are stunted, and have prolonged ill health, observed Tumwesigye.

He said much Ugandans can get food using traditional methods of breeding and irrigation; traditional crops may still not survive emerging pests and diseases of which some have been worsened by climate change, like the fall army worm.

“And yet scientists have been able to identify genes that can be added into another plant to create resistance to pests and diseases it will enable us increased production and have enough food  that will solve the challenge of hunger and malnutrition.

So the issue is we need to communicate to our population saying we have this challenge, and through this method or piece of work by scientists, that is how we are going to solve them,” Tumwesigye added.

Dr. Margaret Karembu, the  director, ISAAA AfriCentre, said the symposium was  aimed at bringing together scientists, researchers and legislators to share innovative ways of communicating  biosafety concepts by sharing experiences and best practices, towards improving agri biotech and biosafety communications among scientists.

But for these to fully communicate, they will need training in communication so as to package their information adequately, added Dr.Mahaletchumy Arujanan, executive director of Malaysian Biotechnology Information Centre (MABIC).

She added that, in Uganda, these should make use of the Uganda Biosciences Information and Innovation Centre, (UBIC) based at the National Crop Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) in Namulonge, one of the research stations under National Agriculture Research Organisation (NARO).

Robert Kafeero, who chairs the Ugandan Parliamentary standing committee of Science and Technology, said several African countries have recently made various important biosafety decisions related to genetically modified (GM) crops, including decisions to authorise their general/environmental release.

He, however said, the ultimate success of delivering these products to farmers is threatened by tenuous support of these decisions from policymakers and the public, due to limited understanding of biosafety concepts, regulatory processes and decision-making factors.

“We have many political scientists who are our policy makers with limited understanding of biotechnology yet they make policies that have an effect on scientific and research work,” he said.

Dr. Rufus Ebegba, the Chief Executive Officer of National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) in Nigeria, said Biosafety Communication in Nigeria has identified different stakeholders to understand their different perspective and interest with a primary focus of biosafety.

“Good communication is paramount as it builds confidence in the biosafety process and helps to influence the public acceptance of approved products,” Dr. Ebegba said.

By Hope Mafaranga, in Entebbe, Uganda

Court orders temporary forfeiture of Alison-Madueke’s alleged property

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Court orders temporary forfeiture of Alison-Madueke’s alleged property

A Federal High Court, Lagos on Wednesday, July 18, 2017 ordered the temporary forfeiture of a property at Banana Island, Lagos allegedly built by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, in 2013 at $37.5 million.

Diezani Alison-Madueke
Diezani Alison-Madueke. Photo credit: TODAY.ng

According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the property, designated as Building 3, Block B, Bella Vista Plot 1, Zone N, Federal Government Layout, Banana Island Foreshore Estate, has 24 apartments, 18 flats and six penthouses.

Apart from the property, the court also ordered the temporary forfeiture of the sums of $2,740,197.96 and N84,537,840.70 said to be part of the rent collected on the property.

The funds were said to have been found in a Zenith Bank Account numbered 1013612486.

Vacation judge, Chuka Obiozor, made the orders following an ex parte application to that effect brought before him by a counsel for the EFCC, Mr. Anselem Ozioko.

Ozioko had told the judge that the EFCC reasonably suspected that the property was acquired with proceeds of alleged unlawful activities of Diezani.

He said investigation by the EFCC revealed that Diezani made the $37.5 million payment for the purchase of the property in cash, adding that the money was moved straight from her house in Abuja and paid into the seller’s First Bank account in Abuja.

“Nothing could be more suspicious than someone keeping such huge amounts in her apartment. Why was she doing that? To avoid attention.

“We are convinced beyond reasonable doubt because as of the time this happened, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke was still in public service as the Minister of Petroleum Resources,” Ozioko told Justice Obiozor.

The ex parte application taken before the judge was filed pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, No. 14, 2006 and Section 44(2)(k) of the constitution.

Listed as respondents in the application are Diezani, a legal practitioner, Afamefuna Nwokedi, and a company, Rusimpex Limited.

In a 41-paragraph affidavit attached to the application, an investigative officer with the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, explained that Nwokedi, in connivance with Diezani, purposely incorporated the company, Rusimpex Limited, on September 11, 2013, to facilitate the alleged fraud scheme.

According to Bawa, when Nwokedi was questioned by the EFCC, the lawyer explained that he had approached Diezani for opportunities in the oil and gas industry but the ex-minister told him that, being a lawyer, she did not have any such opportunity for him and asked him whether he could in the alternative manage landed properties, an offer which Nwokedi accepted.

Bawa said Nwokedi later registered Rusimpex Limited at the Corporate Affairs Commission, wherein a lawyer in his law firm, Adetula Ayokunle, and a Russian, Vladmir Jourauleu, were listed as the directors of the company, while the address of Nwokedi’s law firm in Ikoyi, Lagos was registered as the business address of Rusimpex Limited.

The investigator added that when Ayokunle was questioned by the EFCC, he explained that he only appended his signature on the CAC documents at his boss’ instruction, while Jourauleu denied knowledge of the company.

The investigator explained: “Sometime in 2013, the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, invited Barrister Afamefuna Nwokedi, the Principal Counsel of Stillwaters Law Firm, to her house in Abuja for a meeting where she informed the said Nwokedi to incorporate a company and use same as a front to manage landed properties on her behalf without using her name in any of the documents.

“She further directed Mr. Afamefuna Nwokedi to meet with Mr. Bisi Onasanya, the Group Managing Director of First Bank of Nigeria Plc for that purpose.

“Mr. Stephen Onasanya was invited by the commission and he came and volunteered an extrajudicial statement wherein he stated that he marketed a property at Bella Vista, Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos, belonging to Mr. Youseff Fattau of Ibatex Nigeria Limited to Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke and Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke later bought the property from Mr. Youseff Fattau, through her counsel, Mr. Afamefuna Nwokedi (who she introduced to him) and that payment for the said property was made through the Abuja office of First Bank of Nigeria Plc.

“First Bank of Nigeria Plc, through Mr. Barau Muazu, wrote to the commission and also volunteered an extrajudicial statement in writing that they made the payments totalling $37,500,000 to Ibatex Nigeria Limited & YF Construction Development and Real Estate Limited on behalf of Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke and that they collected the entire cash from Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke at her residence, No. 10, Fredrick Chiluba Close of Jose Martin Street, Asokoro, Abuja and paid into the First Bank of Nigeria Plc accounts of Ibatex and YF Construction Development and Real Estate Limited on her instruction.”

After listening to the EFCC counsel, Justice Obiozor made an order temporarily seizing the property and the funds.

He directed that the order should be published in a national newspaper and adjourned till August 7, 2017 for anyone interested in the property and funds to appear before him.

By Chinyere Obia

EFCC to take possession of Victoria East Park Hotel and Suites

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EFCC to take possession of Victoria East Park Hotel and Suites

The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the temporary forfeiture of Victoria East Park Hotel and Suites located along Igbogbo-Mayegun Road, Ikorodu, Lagos over an alleged fraud of N53.7 million.

Victoria East Park Hotel and Suites
Victoria East Park Hotel and Suites

Justice Chuka Obiozor ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to take over the hotel for 21 days to enable it to conclude its investigation of the alleged fraud.

The EFCC had, in an ex parte application on Tuesday, July 18, 2017 told the court that it believed that the hotel was acquired with proceeds of fraud by one Ebiesuwa Fredrick, who is believed to be the ringleader of a syndicate of fraudsters based in Ibadan and with accomplices in Lagos.

Counsel for the EFCC, Ayanfeoluwa Ogunsina, told Justice Obiozor that the anti-graft agency sought to take over the hotel so as to prevent the fraudsters from disposing of it while investigation was still ongoing, thereby “defeating the end of justice.”

Ogunsina said the EFCC was investigating Fredrick and members of his fraud syndicate who were still at large, based on a petition it received from one Dunni Olagbegi, who claimed to have been duped to the tune of N53.7 million by the suspects.

An investigating officer with the EFCC, Chris Odofin, who deposed to an affidavit filed in support of the ex parte application, stated that, “The antics of these fraudsters include luring people into their criminal den where they present one of them as a pastor, hypnotise their victim, make the victim take an oath never to reveal what they say or do and then use all sorts of deceitful methods to collect money from the victim.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the respondent (Fredrick) is a member of the syndicate of fraudsters that specialise in duping unsuspecting members of the society and have duped several people through this means and are still on the prowl, seeking more people to devour.

“The respondent and some members of his syndicate are based in Ibadan while they also have accomplices in Lagos.

“They launder the proceeds of their criminal activities through acquisition of landed properties within and outside Ibadan with a view to legitimising and integrating their ill-gotten wealth into the mainstream economy, despite the fact that they have no legitimate sources of income.”

After entertaining argument by the EFCC lawyer, Ogunsina, Justice Obiozor, in a short ruling, granted the application, empowering the anti-graft agency to take over Victoria East Park Hotel and Suites for 21 days.

The judge directed the anti-graft agency to paste the court order in a conspicuous place on the premises of the hotel.

He adjourned further proceedings in the case till August  9, 2017.

By Chinyere Obia

Ex-presidential aide, Dudafa, loses bid to regain international passport for medical tourism

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Ex-presidential aide, Dudafa, loses bid to regain international passport for medical tourism

Former Special Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, has lost his bid to travel abroad for medical treatment before a Federal High Court in Lagos.

Waripamo-Owei Dudafa
Waripamo-Owei Dudafa

A vacation judge, Chuka Obiozor, refused to entertain his application to that effect.

Dudafa in the application urged the court to order the release of his passport to enable him to travel abroad to treat a spinal cord injury, which he allegedly sustained while being detained in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Dudafa, who is being prosecuted for an alleged fraud of N5.1 billion, had earlier deposited his passport in the court’s custody as part of the conditions attached to the bail granted him.

He, however, said he needed to urgently travel abroad for a medical appointment and urged the court to release the passport to him.

His counsel, Kolawole Salami, said the medical appointment was earlier scheduled for July 18 and 19, 2017 but had to be rescheduled for July 28, 2017 as Dudafa had yet to get access to his passport.

On Tuesday, July 18, 2017 he urged Justice Obiozor to hear and grant the application, saying the health of his client was at stake.

But the judge refused to entertain the application, saying he was not convinced that there was truly any emergency in Dudafa’s case.

The judge argued that if there were truly an emergency, Dudafa would have ensured that Justice Mohammed Idris, who ordered him to deposit the passport, heard his application, which was filed since May before he proceeded on vacation.

Justice Obiozor rejected explanation by Dudafa’s counsel that hearing of the application before Justice Idris was stalled due to the failure of the EFCC to respond to the application despite being served.

The judge said he would not be the one to release Dudafa’s passport to him, and directed him to wait till October 16, 2017 when Justice Idris, who ordered Dudafa to deposit the passport, would have returned from vacation.

“Let him reschedule to October; he can reschedule to October,” Justice Obiozor said while declining Salami’s plea to hear the application.

The EFCC is prosecuting Dudafa before Justice Idris on 23 counts bordering on fraud and money laundering.

He is standing trial alongside his ex-account officer at Heritage Bank, Joseph Iwuejo, who was said to have aided him to perpetrate the alleged fraud. They have both pleaded not guilty to the charges.

In the charges, the EFCC alleged that, between June 2013 and June 2015, Dudafa and Iwuejo, who also claimed to be Taiwo Ebenezer and Olugbenga Isaiah, used different companies to fraudulently launder various sums of money running into N5.1 billion.

The EFCC listed some of the companies allegedly used by the accused persons as Seagate Property Development & Investment Limited; Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited; Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited; and Rotate Interlink Services Limited; Ibejige Services Limited; DeJakes Fast Food & Restaurant Nigeria Limited; and Ebiwise Resources.

By Chinyere Obia

CODE: From humble beginnings to ONE Award winner

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CODE: From humble beginnings to ONE Award winner

Hamzat Lawal (or Hamzy!), an activist and Co-Founder/Chief Executive of Connected Development (CODE), works to build a growing grassroots movement of citizen-led actions through Follow The Money for better service delivery in rural communities across the African continent. In this treatise, he passionately traces the genesis of CODE’s humble beginnings to its culmination last April as winner of the prestigious ONE Award

Hamzat Lawal
Hamzat Lawal, Co-Founder/Chief Executive of Connected Development (CODE)

In the year 1999, when I was just a mere boy marching the streets of Abuja in Nigeria with other energy-filled school children, dressed in green shirts and brown shorts as Boy Scouts, I never knew a day like this would come, when I will be the one with a ONE Award.

But as I look back now, I realise that, perhaps, certain feelings tugging on my little boy’s heart then, were but the lighthouse of the future showing me where to berth as the future beckoned.

In those days I remember the massive airplay given to Wyclef and Bono’s song “New Day”; and as I watched, and listened, my whole being fused into the only two lines I could understand and mime – Mama, mama… You know you raised me with no father figure… I wanna take this time to thank you thank you….

At the Mo Ibrahim Forum last April, As I heard the announcement stating that the winner of the 9th annual ONE Africa Award is Connected Development (CODE), the song began to play again in my head – two decades down the lane!

So, I now believe there is a song that brought all of us together in the Connected Development; it played the day I met Oludotun Babayemi, the CODE co-founder. It played the day we set out together for Zamfara State to clean the tears of those suffering, lead-poisoned children.

The song played when our first message #SaveBagega hit the airwaves, and forced our government and other critical stakeholders to take action. It resonated loud and clear for us to #FollowTheMoney in order to help forestall further avoidable disasters arising from lack of accountability and transparency in governance.

It became the talking drum with which other concerned youths with similar passions were summoned to join our campaign; and before long the room was filled to the brim with other dancers and international partners – for climate action, for justice, for transparency, for open data, for the youth, for the people.

Today, the crescendo of the drumbeats of service which we answered years ago has put the name of CODE among other renowned agents of change in Africa. For us, nothing could be more humbling!

However, what nobody knows is that this finest hour is also our scariest moment. How can we stand with the giants at ONE and still be the young activists that we are, trudging, learning, speaking and believing in a greater tomorrow?

Now that CODE’s contributions in reducing poverty in target communities and boosting citizen participation in governance has counted, how can we keep counting with the spotlight and ambient pitfalls inherent in the decadent system we have committed to change?

As we vow to keep to our pledge of service to Nigeria and Africa, we earnestly hope that every stakeholder, partner, friend and family, who has supported and helped us to get this far shall not leave our side.

This ONE Africa Award points us to new frontiers to cross and new strongholds to defend with our brands #EarthHour, #FollowTheMoney, #SustainAware, #PoliceMonitor.

…And the music starts now.

Why legislators must not kill ‘Not Too Young To Run Bill’

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Why legislators must not kill ‘Not Too Young To Run Bill’

To say that I, and indeed all Nigerian youth, am disappointed at the recent development in the National Assembly regarding the Not Too Young To Run Bill, is an understatement.

Bukola Saraki Elected Senate President
Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki

The truth is that when the reports filtered out at the end of the recently concluded joint retreat of national legislators on Constitution review in Lagos, indicating that the Senate and House Committees on Constitution Review had killed the Not Too Young To Run Bill, I was totally heartbroken.

We were like a child given a sudden, debilitating sucker punch by someone he trusts so much – his own father!

Nobody saw it coming. The bill had already passed at first and second readings. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, and the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, had publicly declared support for the bill. More than 25 State Houses of Assembly had publicly declared support and endorsed the bill, following series of fruitful engagements with young people at the state level. In fact, the House of Representatives even alluded to the bill as an achievement in its two years’ score card.

Yes, we all thought Nigeria has come of age with the coming of this historic bill, which enjoyed maximum support from the vast Nigeria youth population. But, suddenly, we woke up to the rude shock and to the realisation of the fact that, perhaps, all the cameras and lights at the National Assembly in support of #NotTooYoungToRun were just mere histrionics to paint a false picture.

Nonetheless, the facts are irrefutable. Nigeria is at a crossroads, burdened by the youth question of “what does the future hold?” and this truth we cannot sweep under the carpet or gloss over with any amount of contrived political theatrics, no matter how hard we try.

Firstly, killing the bill is tantamount to directly encouraging election-related violence; fuel regional agitations; and empower the enemies of our country to use the youth to perpetrate mayhem. This is because during the preparation and campaign for #NotTooYoungToRun bill, there emerged a perceptible new sense of maturity among Nigeria’s youth population. One could easily feel a silent revolution in the atmosphere: a consensus among the youths to enter the political fray as contenders, instead of continuously being used as pawns in violent pre- and post-electoral protests.

The Nigerian youth mustered a new intellectual energy with which they prepared to engage the democratic arena in future elections after the bill must have been passed and signed into law.

But, today, witnessing the abandonment of this important bill; one wonders how this tremendous energy shall be dissipated. The bill was supposed to give young people a sense of belonging in the political scheme of things, and allow for cross fertilisation of ideas between the leader and the led, because the lack of a mechanism for such outlet is the root of socio-political unrest. Now one wonders, where do we go from here?

Secondly, discarding the Not Too Young To Run bill is another way of telling the international community that Nigeria is not progressive and upwardly mobile. It is important to note that #NotTooYoungToRun is a global movement, which has found so much traction in the fact that general demographics favours the youth, and that even the current Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) seek proper youth mainstreaming for effective implementation.

The campaign was launched by the United Nations in November 2016 and January 2017 at its offices in Geneva and New York. And, ironically, the same National Assembly had received commendation from the UN and AU for providing leadership in the continent of Africa for considering the bill in the first place.

On January 2016, the African Union Assembly rose with the decision to devote the theme of the year 2017 to “Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through investments in Youth”. The AU recognised that investments made today in the youth, who represent Africa’s greatest asset, will determine the development trajectory of Africa over the next 50 years, and position the continent towards realising the “Africa We Want”, a strong united and influential global player and partner as envisioned in Agenda 2063.

As can be easily understood, the greatest investment in youth is political investment, because it holds the key to opening the doors to other developmental concerns like infrastructure, equality, education, health and environment, etc.

We had hoped that, by 2019, we would see young people in power, helping to chart the course of governance to an all-inclusive future. But now, the feeling one gets is that the legislators are scared of such a future.

This should not be so. Rather, our distinguished lawmakers should see it as an opportunity for them to write their name in gold. Just like they rightly added it to their score card, it is a noble legacy for which posterity shall reward them and history shall be kind to this 8th National Assembly. For, in passing the bill, they must have given the right tool of participatory democracy to Nigerians yet to be born.

Thirdly, Nigeria is currently passing through difficult times, and is highly in need of a “cohesion-incentive” to make the youths continue believing in our young democracy. The #NotTooYoungToRun bill, which is celebrated by the world and lauded by the best of political intellectuals, is such a mechanism. It presents yet another opportunity for the youth and the government to see eye-to-eye and hold hands in a journey to birth a people-oriented new Nigeria.

And if the bill dies, a deep crack has been created in the fabrics of our national consciousness, which might be hard to heal, as it would feed on the simmering underground tensions in the country to gather its destructive momentum.

History beckons on Senate President Bukola Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara, to guard our democratic heritage, entrench noble leadership, equal representation and true patriotism.

Certainly, in times of national need, Providence chooses not necessarily the old and experienced to provide effective leadership. Our founding fathers, Awolowo, Azikiwe, Balewa, built the foundation of this nation as youths.  Our youth of today also need a voice, to answer when Nigeria calls.

Fourthly, it is important to remember that the Not Too Young To Run bill is not about politics; it is about governance. It is about putting a final stop to the brain drain syndrome that makes our youths leave our shores in droves and take their God-given talents to other countries while we need them here.

It is about ensuring that young people, who nowadays graduate from tertiary institutions in their teen-age, also find a place in the political space should they aspire to such career.

It is about addressing an emerging need in the polity, after witnessing more than 7,000 youths that trooped out to canvass support for the #NotTooYoungToRun bill in insurgency-ravaged Yobe and Borno states. It is about entrenching true democracy – the choice of the people, who have spoken loud and clear that young Nigerians be given the opportunity to represent their communities, states and nation in matters of governance.

It is about a future that we all want to be part of, and be proud of, a New Nigeria of many faces, including the young and innocent ones. A great Nigeria!

By Hamzat Lawal (Abuja-based activist and a supporter who believes in the Not Too Young To Run Bill)

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