National News
EU and its Partners Mobilise against SGBV
EU and its Partners Mobilise against SGBV
By: Michael Mike, Abuja
The European Union (EU) and its partners are stepping up efforts to mobilise action towards fast-tracking prosecution of offenders and guaranteeing access to justice and remedies for victims of sexual assault.
According to a statement on Wednesday, top of the EU’s priority list is the creation in Nigeria of a special court for Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) cases, which will be a key highlight of this year’s 16 Days of Activism against SGBV, which begins on November 25.
The statement said through its Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme, implemented by the British Council, and the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative, the world’s largest targeted effort to end all forms of violence against women and girls, the EU has been at the forefront of the campaign to stem SGBV and bring succour and justice to victims. Last year, President Buhari and the Nigerian Governors’ Forum declared SGBV national emergency.
The statement revealed that during the 16 Days of Activism, victims of sexual assault will receive free legal and psychological counselling under a joint effort by RoLAC, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Judiciary and the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
The EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Samuela Isopi, will lend her support for the establishment of special SGBV courts during the seventh Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) Network Conference coming up at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel on November 25. The Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, the Minister of Women Affairs, and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development will all participate in this Conference.
The statement said since Nigeria’s first SARC was established in Lagos in 2013, the number has grown to 32, spread across 19 states of the the country and the FCT.
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It said: “Since 2016, the EU has spent over N1 billion on the SARCs. As of June 2021, the SARCs had assisted over 21,000 survivors of sexual assault. They offered immediate medical emergency and counselling, in addition to supporting to victims to access the legal system. Over 70 per cent of the clients of the SARCs are young people under the age of 18. Clearly, this number does not properly represent the scale of sexual assault in Nigeria.
“To underscore the importance of reporting and quality data collection in the fight against SGVB, the Spotlight Initiative is launching a report spotlighting 16 facts about SGBV, co-signed by the EU, the UN and the Nigerian government. Despite positive developments in awareness-raising, service provision and data collection, much more needs to be done to address the recognized data gaps.”
The statement added that: “In spite of the remarkable expansion and spread of the SARC initiative in Nigeria and stronger focus nationwide on the provision of comprehensive medical and counselling services for survivors, cases of sexual assault remains grossly under-reported to the centres. Still worse is the proportion of cases that are prosecuted.
“To make matters worse, even fewer convictions are secured, often after long, tortuous, winding legal processes.”
Against this backdrop, Ambassador Isopi, said “fast-tracking access to justice for SGBV survivors has become imperative.”
The SARC Network Conference will be followed by mock SGBV courts sitting. This will be, modelled on what survivor-centred SGBV court processes and proceedings should look like if they existed in Nigeria. The mock courts will simultaneously sit at Transcorp Hilton Hotel and the Federal Ministry of Justice.
EU and its Partners Mobilise against SGBV
National News
Investments in circular economy have the potential to increase forex earnings- NESREA DG
Investments in circular economy have the potential to increase forex earnings- NESREA DG
By: Michael Mike
The Director General of National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Prof. Innocent Barikor has affirmed that investments in the circular economy value chain have the potential to increase the country’s foreign exchange earnings.
Barikor made this statement recently during a meeting with the management of a plastic packaging recycling (rPET) company, Sonnex in Lagos.
He assured the team that the Nigerian government prioritizes circular economy, noting that the draft National Environmental (Plastic Waste Control) Regulations soon to be gazetted is one of the efforts to strengthen the legal framework for circular economy implementation in Nigeria.
He said: “Circular Economy falls under the Presidential priorities for the Federal Ministry of Environment, and the Minister is very keen on the success. Apart from tackling the problem of waste, green jobs have been created .
“The pellets and flakes you produce and export also generate foreign exchange. The Plastic Waste Control Regulations are awaiting official gazette and once gazetted, we would have connected the dots of the framework to implement circular economy in the plastic sector. We are deeply committed to ensuring the success of Circular Economy.”
Earlier, the Managing Director, Anil Mohinani intimated the NESREA boss on the process for the production of recycled PET bottles (rPET), whilst also highlighting the challenges faced by investors in the sector .
He listed some of the setbacks to include lack of a legal instrument to compel manufacturers in the food and beverage sector to embrace food-grade rPET, unfriendly policies by some foreign companies, and insufficient awareness .
“Europe and America create barriers to protect their international recycling business. There is unfair competition. In some countries such as Kenya, there is encouragement to invest in rPET recycling because there is a regulation in place,” he added.
Investments in circular economy have the potential to increase forex earnings- NESREA DG
ISWAP Terrorists Kill Hunters’ Leader in Borno
By: Zagazola Makama
Suspected ISWAP terrorists have killed the chairman of the hunters’ group in Garjang village, Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred at about 5 a.m. on Sunday.
The victim, identified as Habu Dala, 53, was abducted from his home by the terrorists, who took him through Mulharam to Forfot villages in Damboa LGA.
Villagers mobilised in search of Dala and later found his corpse bearing gunshot wounds.
Troops of Operation HADIN KAI, members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), and the hunters’ group visited the scene.
The remains were evacuated to the General Hospital, Damboa, where he was certified dead and later released to his family for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.
ISWAP Terrorists Kill Hunters’ Leader in Borno
Nine Injured in Kwali Farmers–Herders Clash
By: Zagazola Makama
Nine persons sustained machete injuries in a clash between Bassa farmers and Fulani herders in Gomoni Village, Kwali Area Council of the FCT.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the fight, which broke out on Aug. 9 at about 3:30 p.m., followed alleged destruction of melon and maize farms belonging to the Bassa community by cattle.
It was gathered that the Nigeria army troops
along with joint team of operatives, and vigilantes were deployed to the scene following a distress call.
Six Bassa and three Fulani victims with varying degrees of machete cuts were taken to Rhema Foundation Hospital, Kwali, for treatment.
Authorities confirmed that the situation had been brought under control and normalcy restored, while investigation was ongoing.
Nine Injured in Kwali Farmers–Herders Clash
Investments in circular economy have the potential to increase forex earnings- NESREA DG
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