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International Anti-corruption Day: CSO Demands Accountability, Transparency From Government

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As the world marks the 2020 International Anti-Corruption Day, a civil society group, Action for Socio-political and Economic Change (ASEC), Wednesday tasked government at all levels to be open in their day-to-day running of government affairs with a view to letting the people follow through.

The call was made by the Coordinator of the group, Leftist Osazee Edigin, while speaking with newsman in commemoration of the 2020 International Anti-Corruption Day in Benin City.

This year’s International Anti-Corruption Day with the theme ‘Recover with Integrity’ was to examine the effect of COVID-19 pandemic and the fight against corruption; the need for state actors to be transparent and accountable in their dealings in the face of the novel pandemic that threw the world into a state of uncertainty.

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READ ALSO: Edo Council Workers Bicker Over Alleged Non Payment Of Salaries, Training Allowances

Edigin said irrespective of the negative effect of the pandemic on revenue drive, government in its bid in cushioning its socio-economic effect on the people by way of providing palliatives has not been transparent in providing data of relief materials received from donors and inventory of distribution to the people.

Edigin, while noting that the EndSARS protests led to the discovery of palliatives stored by government across the country, berrated politicians hoarding palliatives meant for the public in the face of hunger that was ravaging the country.

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Leftist Osazee Edigin, Coordinator, ASEC, addressing newsmen.

The ASEC Coordinator expressed disappointment on how budget documents, financial statements and auditor’s reports have become sacred documents that the citizens cannot have access to, just as he said the fight against corruption and corrupt practices should start from making such documents accessible for citizens scrutiny.

READ ALSO: Group Threatens Legal Action Over Alleged Plan To Deny Edo Of NDDC Board

“It’s worthy of note that, the purpose for a government to be instituted is because there are citizens and tax payers’ monies to be deployed, that whatever the government is receiving or spending is being done in trust for the people”, he posited.

Leftist Edigin who decried the muzzling of local government constitutional revenue rights by the state government, noted that almost all the statutory powers including collection of certain levies and rates has been taking over by the state government. He said this act contravene provision in the 4th schedule in the 1999 Constitution of the federation as amended.

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He said the collection of Land Use Charge by state government which incorporates tenement rates constitutionally to local government councils and the taking over of outdoor advertisement and Signage rates are steps toward the total crippling of local government councils in the state.

He tasked the state and local governments the need to be transparent and open in public business as it builds confidence, trust and patriotism on the part of citizens,

Edigin stated further that budget documents, financial statements and auditor’s reports should always be made public for citizens to know how their commonwealth is being managed by those who hold power in trust for them.

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READ ALSO: Gunmen Shot POS Operator Dead In Edo

Action for Socio-political and Economic Change (ASEC) is an affiliate organisation of Edo Civil Society Organisations.

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Delta-billionaire Lawuru To Grace Ijaw Media Conference As Guest Of Honour

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The President of Egbema Brotherhood, Alaowei Promise Lawuru, is expected to grace the forthcoming Ijaw Media Conference 2025, as a guest of honour.

The event is scheduled to hold on December 3rd, 2025, in Warri, Delta State.

The annual media conference organised by the Ijaw Publishers Forum with the theme ‘Safeguarding Niger Delta’s Natural Resources for Future Generations,’ is second edition of the series.

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Lawuru, youthful politician and businessman’s willingness to appear as guest of honour was made known
when a delegation of the Central Working Committee led by Pastor Arex Akemotubo paid him a visit to inform him of the forthcoming event and his expected role.

READ ALSO:IPF Holds Annual Ijaw Media Conference December

In his presentation, Akemotubo explained that this year’s theme was chosen out of concern for the growing strain on the region’s land and waters.

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The Publisher of WaffiTV stressed that the forum wants to strengthen public understanding, support honest reportage, and encourage leaders to protect what the Niger Delta holds for the next generation.

He addex that Lawuru’s history of service and steady involvement in community work made him a natural choice for the role.

READ ALSO:IPF Commends Tompolo’s Commitment To Security In Delta, Nigeria

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Chief Lawuru welcomed the invitation and spoke warmly about the need for shared responsibility among stakeholders and groups such as the IPF.

He commended the forum for using the media to defend the region’s interests and promised full support for the conference.

Lawuru further urged other stakeholders across the Ijaw nation to lend their weight to efforts that safeguard the environment.

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Senate Recommends Death Penalty For Kidnappers

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The Senate has passed a resolution classifying kidnapping as an act of terrorism, stipulating that an amendment to the Terrorism Act be made to impose the maximum penalty of death.

The resolution was made during plenary on Wednesday.

Under the new law, according to the upper legislative arm, once a kidnapping conviction is established, the death penalty must be applied.

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Nigeria suffers from a persistent security crisis fuelled by attacks and violence by “bandit” gangs that raid villages, kill people, and kidnap for ransom.

READ ALSO:Senate Uncovers $300bn Unaccounted Crude Oil Sales

In response to recent kidnappings and attacks by terrorists, President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday ordered a total security cordon over the forests in Kwara State.

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Series Of Abductions

Bandits had struck the Isapa community of the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, abducting 11 residents.

The attack came about two weeks after and 38 worshippers were abducted from a Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in the Eruku community of the state.

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Terrorists also attacked St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools, Papiri, in Niger State, abducting more that 300 school children and staff in a resurgence of the mass kidnappings that have long harrowed Africa’s most populous country.

READ ALSO:Bill To Establish Federal Oil And Gas Hospital In Delta Scales Second Reading In Senate

In the same week, 24 schoolgirls were taken from the Government Comprehensive Girls Secondary School, Maga, Danko Wasagu Local Government Area in Kebbi State, but regained freedom on Tuesday.

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At least 50 taken from St Mary’s Catholic school also managed to escape, but more than 265 children and teachers are still being held.

Nigeria’s high-profile mass kidnapping was that of the Chibok schoolgirls in 2014, when Boko Haram forced 276 girls from their dormitories in the North-East region.

More than a decade later, man of the Chibok girls are still missing.

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FG Threatens To Seize Dana Air Assets

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The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has disclosed that the Federal Government may recover and sell the assets of Dana Air to refund passengers and travel agents whose funds remain trapped following the suspension of the airline’s operations.

The Minister disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday at the Ministry’s fourth quarter stakeholders’ engagement to enhance governance for effective service delivery in aviation with the theme: “leveraging public feedback to drive excellence in aviation services”.

According to him, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) will be directed to probe why funds trapped by the airline are yet to be refunded.

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He revealed that the Authority suspended the operations of the airline as a matter of choice between safety and disaster.

READ ALSO:NCAA Petitions IGP Over KWAM 1’s Unruly Conduct In Abuja Airport

“For Dana, the problem is that it was a choice between safety and disaster. So we didn’t take the commercial thing as priority. The priority was safety, and we all looked at the damning reports that we had met on the table.

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“It was a decision of the NCAA to suspend them, but I pushed them to say, look, these are the reports we are seeing on the table about safety record, about lack of standards that put the lives of Nigerians at risk. If they continue flying, I don’t know whether most of us will be here. Many of us would have been victims of one of those flights. God forbid.”

According to him, “I have asked Najomo to dig deep to find out how those passengers and agents will be refunded. He has to dig deep on that.

“One solution will also be that if that same individual or those entities are trying to come back to aviation under any guise, whether to go and register a new AOC or use any business within the aviation sector, they have to go and settle their debts first.

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READ ALSO:NCAA Seeks K1 De Ultimate’s Arrest, Petitions AGF, IG

We should look at their assets. There are assets that are still available. Let them sell their assets. Let’s cannibalize their revenue and pay people. Let’s find a way to go after their assets and get money to pay Nigerians who are owed.

“NCAA should do that because they can’t get away with it.”

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