Child marriage: Bayelsa summons four years old girl’s parents, 54 years old groom – Newstrends
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Child marriage: Bayelsa summons four years old girl’s parents, 54 years old groom

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5 months ago

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Child marriage: Bayelsa summons four years old girl’s parents, 54 years old groom

The Bayelsa Government has invited parents of a four-year-old girl and the 54-year-old man allegedly involved in a marriage in Akeddei community in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state.

 The government’s intervention is coming on the heels of media reports of a December 26 marriage between the ‘bride’ and the 54 years old groom.

 The Bayelsa Government’s reaction is contained in a statement provided to NAN in Yenagoa on Saturday.

The statement is jointly signed by Dr. Dise Ogbise-Goddy, Chairman, Gender Response Initiative Team (GRIT) Bayelsa and  Paniebi Jacob, Director, Child Development in the  Ministry of Women Affairs, Children and Social Development.

The state government, which frowned at the development, also expressed concern over the “illegal marriage” based on tradition and customs, saying it was repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience.

According to the statement, the Ministry of Women, Children Affairs and Social Development and GRIT have acknowledged the receipt of a formal complaint from a child rights advocacy group, DO Foundation, on the controversial marriage.

Jacob, Ogbise-Goddy  and the state Human Rights Commission, said the traditional ruler of Akeddei community honoured the government’s invitation and promised to produce the child, her parents, the groom, the youth leader and the chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC).

 The statement noted that the Bayelsa Government did not support child marriage under any guise.

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 “That is why the state government did not hesitate to assent to the  passage of the  Bayelsa State Child Rights Law.

 “We are taking steps to rescue the child from all the key actors in relation to this illegal ceremony that they tagged a ‘mere spiritual’ affair.

 “The law is clear on issues of tradition and customs that are repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience  and working with the Bayelsa State Police Command, we shall ensure incidents like this do not occur in the state again.

 “On behalf of the governor of Bayelsa State, we express our gratitude to all the non-governmental organisations, including FIDA and DO Foundation, that have risen to the rescue of this innocent child.

“Bayelsa State is children-friendly and this case will be pursued to a logical conclusion.”

However, NAN learnt that the alleged marriage involving  the man, simply identified as Elder Akpos, was at the instance of the girl’s parents.

According to a source, who pleaded anonymity for fear of penalty for desecrating traditions, the parents of the girl claim that the 54-year-old man was her husband in their previous life.

According to the community source, the girl claimed that the man was her husband who died mysteriously in their previous life.

The toddler has narrated that over the years, she has been moving from place to place, to be given birth to by different parents, searching for her former husband.

The source said: “The little bride said if she was not allowed to marry her husband, she would have no other business in Akeddei community, and that she was going to die peacefully and go her way.

“In order to avoid losing the girl to death, the people of Akeddei decided to organise a glamorous wedding ceremony to mark the union of the two previous life lovers.”

Child marriage: Bayelsa summons four years old girl’s parents, 54 years old groom

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Nigeria will stop fuel importation by June – Dangote

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12 hours ago

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May 18, 2024

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Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the CEO of Dangote Group

Nigeria will stop fuel importation by June – Dangote

Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest person, has announced that Nigeria will cease importing petrol by June.

Speaking at the Africa CEO Forum Annual Summit in Kigali, Dangote revealed that his refinery will commence production next month, meeting Nigeria’s petrol needs and eliminating the need for imports.

“Right now, Nigeria has no cause to import anything apart from gasoline and by sometime in June, within the next four or five weeks, Nigeria shouldn’t import anything like gasoline; not one drop of litre,” he said.

The refinery will also produce diesel, aviation fuel, and other essential products, making Africa self-sufficient in these commodities.

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With a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, the refinery will meet the demands of West Africa and beyond.

Dangote emphasized that the refinery will not only focus on petroleum products but also produce polypropylene, polyethylene, base oil, and linear benzyl, raw materials essential for producing detergents and other products.

This will reduce Africa’s reliance on imports and make the continent self-sufficient in these critical products.

Dangote expressed his optimism that within three to four years, Africa will no longer need to import fertilizers, as his refinery will produce urea, potash, and phosphate, meeting the continent’s needs.

The refinery’s second phase is set to begin early next year, further expanding its operations and impact on Africa’s energy landscape.

Nigeria will stop fuel importation by June – Dangote

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Olanipekun, Yayale, Elechi, Yusuf Ali, others named higher institutions’ governing council chairmen

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13 hours ago

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May 18, 2024

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Olanipekun, Yayale, Elechi, Yusuf Ali, others named higher institutions’ governing council chairmen

President Bola Tinubu’s administration has unveiled a list of appointees to the governing councils of 111 federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.

Notable figures among the appointees include former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Attahiru Jega; Senior Advocates of Nigeria Wole Olanipekun, former Bauchi governor, Isa Yuguda, and Yusuf Alli.

Others are former National Universities Commission Executive Secretary, Peter Okebukola; and labour activist, Issa Aremu. The individuals have been selected to lead the councils of various academic institutions across the country.

The announcement follows a recent ultimatum issued by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which demanded the Nigerian government address issues such as the alleged illegal dissolution of university governing councils and the continued use of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) for salary payments.

The Federal Ministry of Education responded by assuring that these concerns were being handled and that the list of council members would be released soon.

The appointments, signed by Permanent Secretary Didi Walson-Jack of the Federal Ministry of Education, include five representatives each for 50 universities, 37 polytechnics, and 24 colleges of education.

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Specifically, Attahiru Jega has been appointed Chairman of the Governing Council of Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto. Wole Olanipekun will chair the University of Lagos, while Yusuf Alli takes on the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.

Peter Okebukola will lead the University of Port Harcourt, and Issa Aremu will head the Federal College of Education (Technical) in Keana, Nasarawa State while Yuguda will chair the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

Furthermore, former Senator Joy Emordi will lead Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education in Owerri; and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Yayale Ahmed, will head the council of Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria.

Adamu Rasheed, the immediate past Executive Secretary of the NUC, has been appointed to the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo in Benue State.

The new governing council members are scheduled for inauguration and a retreat on May 30 and 31 at the National Universities Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

In June 2023, President Tinubu dissolved the governing councils of several key government agencies and higher education institutions, a move that sparked criticism from various stakeholders. They argued that the University Miscellaneous Act grants universities and their councils autonomy to self-regulate.

Olanipekun, Yayale, Elechi, Yusuf Ali, others named higher institutions’ governing council chairmen

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UK lawmaker lauds EFCC, says Africa underestimates its strength

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18 hours ago

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May 18, 2024

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UK lawmaker lauds EFCC, says Africa underestimates its strength

In a significant boost to Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has received international recognition for its tireless work in tackling corruption.

Baroness Verma Sandy of Leicester, a member of the United Kingdom’s House of Lords, has commended the EFCC for its dedication to fighting corruption and promoting good governance in Nigeria.

During a visit to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Friday, Baroness Verma Sandy praised the Commission’s new leadership under Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, for repositioning the organization on the path of professionalism and effectiveness.

She expressed confidence that the EFCC’s efforts would help change the global perception of Africa and build new confidence in the continent.

The Baroness, who led a six-man delegation of the UK-based African Leadership Organisation, acknowledged the EFCC’s efforts in shaping better narratives for Nigeria and praised the Commission’s innovative approaches to tackling corruption.

She emphasized the importance of international collaboration in the fight against corruption and encouraged the EFCC to continue its good work.

Sandy said: “We are so glad to be here. It is important having this organization led by somebody who has brought incredible positive changes to the country. And I want to thank all of your colleagues here for engaging with us today. I believe passionately on the strength of the African Continent. I am not connected at all to Africa, but I have been a champion for a continent that has under-estimated its own strength but has got so much to offer the world. And I think your organization will help change the perceptions and build new confidence. So, I am so pleased and honoured to be here.”

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EFCC Chairman, Mr. Olukoyede, thanked the Baroness and her delegation for identifying with the Commission and acknowledging its efforts.

He reiterated the EFCC’s commitment to tackling corruption and promoting good governance, emphasizing that corruption is a major obstacle to Africa’s development.

He highlighted the Commission’s new focus on prevention and addressing systemic issues that enable corruption, as well as its efforts to stimulate economic growth and prevent foreign exchange sharp practices.

The EFCC Chairman also applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the liberty of operation accorded to the Commission, enabling it to pursue its mandate without interference.

He emphasized the importance of political will in the fight against corruption and praised the President’s support for the EFCC’s efforts.

Olukoyede said, “On behalf of the entire management of EFCC, we are glad to have you in our midst. I want to thank you for identifying with what we do. You have an interest in Africa and I want to tell you that Africa has great potential. The major problem is bad governance. We need good governance to channel our human and natural resources rightly and bring Africa on top of the world.

“That is what people like us are advocating using the instrumentality of law enforcement and anti-corruption fight. Corruption is something we have to deal with. Every challenge we face in our daily life, insecurity, bad governance, lack of infrastructural development are all linked to corruption.

“Upon my assumption of office, I said I will use the instrumentality of the anti-corruption fight to stimulate growth in the economy because while enforcing laws against financial crimes, we also enforce against economic crimes. Anything can vitiate economic and infrastructural development, we are empowered by law to investigate it and bring the offenders to book. In this part of the world, you have to be courageous in order to realize your mandate. One thing that is going for us is the political will of the president. The government in power is supporting us and not interfering in what we do.

“We have tried to bring some innovations in the way we do things. Traditionally, the EFCC has been concentrating more on investigation and prosecution, and I discovered that the more we do that, the tougher the problem becomes. We are now trying to shift our focus, not necessarily away from enforcement, but we are looking more on the paths of prevention. We are looking more at the cause of the problems.

“Fundamentally, there is nothing wrong with Nigerians. Nigerians are good people. Given they find themselves outside the country and given the right ecosystem, you see Nigerians perform excellently well. We are looking into our systems; we are looking into our structures; we are looking into what actually allows corruption to fester in addition to making people account for their bad deeds while in office. So, we concentrate more on prevention now.

“What we deal with is white collar crime, which is non-violent. So we want people to own the fight. When you see something, you say something.”

UK lawmaker lauds EFCC, says Africa underestimates its strength

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