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Water Resources Bill: Re-introduction Of RUGA, Cattle Colony, ‘Kill’ It, Activist Urges NASS

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Dotimi Tawari Esq. handing over a copy of the Bill to Edo NUJ Chairman, Comrade Festus Alenkhe

A legal practitioner and President, Ijaw Community Law Centre, Dotimi Tawari, has urged the National Assembly to throw the controversial Water Resources Bill recently re-introduced into the dust-bin, arguing that if they let go, it will deny Nigerians of their identities and ‘kill’ them.

He said rather than concentrating on true federalism, the Bill is anti-federal but unitary, adding that if passed into law, it will take Nigerians back to the old days of unitary system of government where everything is concentrated at the centre (Federal Government)

The lawyer and environmental rights activist who made these assertions in Benin, Monday, where he enlightened journalists on what the Bill entails, said Water Resources Bill is an indirect way of introducing Rural Grazing Area (RUGA) and Cattle Colony.

According to him, when passed into law, the Act will automatically incorporate the Land Use Act of 1978, and that every land owned by communities and state governments would be ceded to the Federal Government.

He reads the Bill in part: “The Delta of River Niger, and everything therein belongs to the Federal Government.

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“This is an indirect way of re-introducing RUGA, the cattle colony thing, this is it. When they brought RUGA, it died, when they brought cattle colony thing, it died, this is the last thing they want to do.”

He continued: “Section 158 reads: Any natural or man-made water, flowing or standing on the surface of the land, including rivers, lakes, reservoirs, lagoons, wetland, creeks, Deltas, etc belongs to the Federal Government. Everything is gone.”

READ ALSO: One Dead, Others Injured In Delta Community Crisis

According to him, because of the interior motive behind the Bill, it was sneaked into the National Assembly through back door and was not make public until some members including the Speaker of the House of Representatives insisted that it should be made public.

READ ALSO: I’ll Leave Our Enemies, Finish You First, Wike Tells Rivers PDP Rebels

He added: “They are amending the Nigerian constitution without us knowing. This is because by extension, the Land Use Act of 1978 is incorporated into this Bill.”

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The environmental rights activist noted that if Nigerians allow the Bill to see the light of the day “it will be more powerful than your state government; it is like creating another country entirely inside a country.”

He, therefore, urged media practitioners to rise to their social responsibility of enlightening members of the public on the ills of the Bill.

He added: “And that is why we say members of the press must rise to this responsibility. Your constitutional role is to be a watch dog, so make sure this bill does not see the light of the day. Because if it does, we lost our identities completely.”

On his part, Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Edo State council, Comrade Festus Alenkhe, urged the legal practitioner to take the enlightenment to other NUJ state councils in the South-South and South-East with a view to opening journalists’ eyes to the proposed Bill so they too can in return enlighten members of the public.

While thanking the environmental rights activist for the enlightenment, the Chairman appealed to his colleagues to give publicise to the Bill with a view for Nigerians to knowing much about it and taking the necessary steps.

 

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Epileptic Power Supply: Lekki Residents Protest, Call For EKEDC Removal

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Residents of Lekki Phase 1 in Eti Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, have expressed frustration over the epileptic power supply being witnessed in the area.

Speaking with journalists earlier today, residents stated that this has been their plight for over five years. They noted that the situation worsened since the beginning of the year, attributing it to lack of investment by the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC).

One of the residents, Chief Theodore Oniopaku bemoaned the situation, citing instances where they barely get thirty minutes of electricity per day and sometimes endure up to eighteen days without power in a month.

He said, “The situation is really bad. We’ve been trying to avoid protests because we don’t want a situation where hoodlums will hijack it like what happened during the End SARS protest.

“But it seems no one is paying attention to our plight. Some of us are retirees, we live on pensions. How can we afford a litre of diesel at N1,600 per litre? How much do we earn in a month?”

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READ ALSO: Court Dismisses Suit Seeking To Stop Elections, Examinations On Saturday

A retired Justice, Eniola Oluokun reiterated these sentiments, noting a six-year struggle with poor power supply in the area.

Oluokun called for independent power supply solutions for the area, criticizing EKEDC’s lack of financial capacity and technical expertise to address the issue effectively.

He said, “Lekki phase 1 residents should be on an Independent Power supply. It is Nigeria’s heartbeat and destination for holiday fun seekers. Most visitors and tourists prefer to stay in Lekki Phase 1.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think EKEDC has the financial capacity and technical expertise to provide electricity in the area.

“Some of their equipments are old and obsolete. Whenever their equipment is faulty, it takes them five to six days to fix leaving the estate without light. Our neighbours in Banana Island who use the Independent Power plant have constant light, but we don’t. It’s a very painful situation.”

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READ ALSO: Electricity Subsidy No Longer Sustainable – FG

Another resident, a retired civil servant who preferred anonymity, blamed past governments, for the collapse of the power generation in Nigeria.

He cited corruption and lack of transparency during the power privatization process as contributing factors.

“The corruption in the power sector where trillions of Naira were diverted to private accounts and lack of transparency during the power privatisation contributed immensely to the collapse of our power generation. If the government refuse to address these two monsters, Nigerians must not expect power soon”. He said.

Recall that the residents’ frustration have once led to a legal action against EKEDC, due to failed promises and billing discrepancies.

In April 2022, Lekki residents petitioned the presidency, represented by Ambassador Ibrahim Gambari MFR, seeking intervention to compel EKEDC to provide adequate power supply comparable to other affluent areas like Victoria Island, Ikoyi, and Banana Island.

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READ ALSO: NDLEA Seizes 44,948kg Drugs, Vehicles In Lagos, Edo, Ondo Raids

At the time, Mogaji Wale Arisekola a resident and media consultant for the estate, expressed grievances over high-end user tariff plans.

He estimated potential damages of N10 billion to N15 billion from EKEDC’s shortcomings and also urged affected estates to seek legal recourse.

Arisekola said, “It is a case of accepting money under false pretext, which is in section 419 in the Nigeria penal code. The whole of Lekki Phase 1 estate no longer wants to have anything to do with EKEDC again. They are tired of paying for darkness. The tariff they put us on is for a minimum of eighteen hours in a day and we are getting less than six hours. We have enough grounds to approach the court of law to demand our fundamental rights.

“We are looking at a damage of N10 billion to N15 billion from EKEDC and the court order barring EKEDC from disturbing the Independent Power supply engaged by the estate. EKEDC’s excuses are no longer acceptable to us in the estate.”

However, despite previous attempts by EKEDC to address customer complaints, including the inauguration of a Customers’ Complaint Unit in Lekki, residents remain dissatisfied with the quality of service.

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Meanwhile, residents are set to embark on a peaceful protest against the injustice by EKEDC on Saturday 30th of March 2024 at the Lekki Phase 1 Gate.

This was made known through the “notice of protest” being circulated on WhatsApp and Zonal groups, which reads in part “…We are tired of sleeping in darkness. Please all Lekki residents must endeavour to participate. We have been sleeping without power for about a month now…”

 

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Nine Things To Know About Ship That Collapsed Baltimore Bridge

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The Francis Scott Key Bridge in the US city of Baltimore collapsed after a ship collided with it, the Maryland Transportation Authority said early Tuesday.

“I-695 Key Bridge collapse due to ship strike,” the MTA posted on social media platform X, referring to the interstate highway.

It urged drivers to avoid the route over the Patapsco River, which it called an “active scene”.

Earlier, the MTA had said interstate lanes in both directions were closed due to an “incident” on the bridge, and that traffic was being redirected.

A police spokesperson from the Baltimore Police Department told NBC News that people were possibly in the river.

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However, in this report, The PUNCH  highlights nine key things to know about the ill-fated ship as culled from AFP.

READ ALSO: US Bridge Collapses After Ship Collision

1. The ship that caused the collapse of a key bridge in Baltimore is named Dali container ship and was recently built to sail under Singapore’s flag.

2. It was constructed by the Korean Hyundai shipyard in 2015 and is 300 metres long (985 feet), 48 metres wide and 24.8 metres tall, with gross tonnage of 95,000 tonnes, making it an average-sized container ship.

3. It had left Baltimore port at 1 am local time Tuesday for a roughly month-long voyage to Colombo in Sri Lanka, according to the site Marine Traffic. It hit the bridge at 1:28 am.

4. The ship belongs to Singapore-based Grace Ocean Pte Ltd, which is owned by a Hong Kong group, and was carrying containers on behalf of Danish shipping giant Maersk.

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READ ALSO: 4 Die In Bauchi Auto Crash As FRSC Returns N1.6m To Families Of Victims

5. Synergy Marine, the Singapore company that operates the Dali, said it was being controlled by two Baltimore port pilots at the time of the collision.

6. There were 22 crew members on board, according to the port of Singapore, and none were injured, according to Synergy, which also says no leaking has been detected.

7. The Dali frequently links Asian ports with the East Coast of the United States and passes through the Panama Canal on March 13 before stopping at New York, Norfolk, and finally, Baltimore.

8. In 2016, soon after commissioning, the Dali accidentally hit a dock in the Belgian port of Antwerp, according to the sites Vessel Finder and Shipwrecklog.

9. It can hold up to 8,344 cubic metres (2.2 million gallons) of fuel, according to Marine Traffic. It is insured by UK-based Britannia.

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Fedpoly Bauchi Matriculates 5,507 Students

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The Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, has on Tuesday, matriculated 5,507 new intakes for the 2023/2024 academic session.

Speaking during the Matriculation ceremony, the Rector of the institution, Alhaji Sani Usman, said that the polytechnic received 7,917 applications for both the National Diploma and Higher National Diploma.

Usman said that 6,843 students were admitted into the institution, out of which only 5,507 were registered and matriculating.

READ ALSO: 4 Die In Bauchi Auto Crash As FRSC Returns N1.6m To Families Of Victims

He explained that 2,732 were admitted into the institution for their Higher National Diploma programmes while 2,775 were admitted for their National Diploma programmes.

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He cautioned the matriculants against what he called pitfalls that derail their path to success.

”As you embark on this journey, I must caution you against the pitfalls that might threaten to derail your path to success.

READ ALSO: Court Sentences Chinese To Death For Killing Nigerian Girlfriend

”Corruption, indecent dressing, examination misconduct, drug abuse, and cultism are scourges that have no place within the walls of this Polytechnic.

”I there urge you to uphold the highest standards of integrity, ethics, and moral values. Let honesty be your compass, and let your actions be guided by the principles of righteousness and fairness,” he said.

Earlier, Mallam Abdullahi Garba, Acting Registrar, disclosed that the polytechnic had organised a week-long orientation exercise for the newly admitted students.

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Garba, urged them to be upright and serious with their academic endeavours.

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