Day: September 22, 2023

International Police Officers from Spain have concluded a three-day training on effective management of Tafficking in Person and Smuggling of Migrants (TIP/SOM) for officers drawn from Nigeria Law Enforcement Agencies.

The officers who participated in the training are from the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Police and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training was aimed at strengthening the investigative and prosecutorial capabilities of the officers.

The training was facilitated by the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP), a Spanish public institution.

NAN reports that FIIAPP is the promoter of Action Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) in Nigeria, a project being sponsored by the European Union (EU).

The participants will in turn train others at their various stations and spread the knowledge to other officers.

The ATIPSOM team leader, Mr Federico-Millan Marcicalva, congratulated all the participants for the first international police training course 2023.

He said they all demonstrated ability to respond to academic challenge, adding that the training had culminated in effort to work together with the sole aim of not losing the benchmark and constantly updating themselves.

Marcicalva said that participants learnt new methods of investigation, as well as broadened their knowledge on the do’s and don’t of TIP/SOM crime, while charging them to be committed to fight the crime.

According to him, the university of knowledge is the basis of any project and that is why they must all continue to invest in the journey that gives the tools to be able to face any phenomenon.

The participants learnt how to make the world more difficult for perpetrators of human trafficking and smuggling of migrants.

The ATIPSOM team leader also urged the participants to continue to strive to protect victims of TIP/SOM.

The Director-General of NAPTIP, Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, appreciated FIIAPP for organising the training, stressing that it was a very good one for law enforcement officers in Nigeria.

Waziri-Azi, who was represented at the event by Mr Hassan Tahir, NAPTIP Director of Legal and Prosecution, expressed optimism that the participants would make use of knowledge gained from the training.

She also urged them not only to cascade perpetrators, but also to transfer the knowledge to other officers who were not privileged to be at the training.

The Inspector General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, who was represented by Mrs Tabitha Bako, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), also thanked FIIAPP for facilitating the training.

He further thanked FIIAPP for bringing trainers all the way from Madrid, adding that they had been up and doing from the day one of the training.

Mr Fernando-Alvarez Moriano, a Chief Inspector of Police, Madrid (Spain) thanked Nigerians for the warm reception and hospitality his team received throughout the duration of the training.

He said that his colleagues also showed passion to give their best for the training, adding that the team’s mission was accomplished and they were satisfied.

Miss Selbyen Bani, a participant, who is also a Chief Supretendent Officer, Legal Department of NIS, noted that many of the participants were now a new person after the training.

She said that the training would influence her because it had helped in deepening her knowledge and modus oparandi in regards to SOM crime. (NAN)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Nigeria National Quality Policy will unlock the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) for Nigeria.

The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Quality Council (NQC), Mr Osita Aboloma, made this known while addressing newsmen in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigera (NAN) reports that the Federal Government established NQC to enhance development, harmonisation and rationalisation of Nigeria’s quality infrastructure.

The council was created to implement the approved Nigerian National Quality Policy document which provides for efficient and effective management of regulatory responsibilities.

It aims to achieve protection of society and the environment as well as transparent and reliable state-regulatory systems, devoid of bureaucratic vagaries.

According to Aboloma, the agency will assist in providing a supportive national quality infrastructure for the country.

He said this consists of Standards and Metrology, Accreditation and Conformity Assessment Services that must be acceptable globally to enhance the competitiveness of products and services made in Nigeria.

He said without adhering to international standards, Nigeria might not enjoy the benefits of AfCFTA as products from Nigeria would continue to suffer rejection due to non-conformity with standards.

According to Aboloma, AfCFTA is a bloc of over 1.3 billion people, ratified in 2021 by over 47 African nations as of August 2022.

He said in the short-to-medium term, the agency would convene a stakeholders’ summit on the implementation of the national quality policy and how it affected every facets of the Nigerian economy.

“We will have a national discourse across the country where we will discuss details of the national quality policy, how it affects various sector of the economy and how it will improve our economy.

“We will also be doing gap analysis that will look at gathering data for every laboratory that exist in Nigeria whether government or privately owned.

“What they are testing and their capacity for those tests, do they have international accreditation, will their result be accepted in Togo for example since we are talking about AfCFTA?

“When we analyse where the gaps are, we can properly advise the government on what needs to be done in the short term, medium term and long terms,”he said.

According to him, this will ensure that trade and commerce within Nigeria, with our neigbouring countries and the rest of Africa and internationally will benefit Nigeria.

Aboloma said these activities would generate jobs for the country, boost economic growth and increase exports for Nigeria.

“ So, it is the working of the national quality infrastructure that will guarantee businesses to function well and the products they are producing are giving people value for their money,”he added.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) has published the details of four men convicted for sexual offences to serve as deterrent to others in the state.

The identifies of the offenders were made public on Thursday.

The details of the publication include the names, pictures of the sex convicts, the nature of their offenses, as well as the duration of the sentence handed down by the courts were captured in the new update.

According to the DSVA, it is giving an update on publication of details of sex convicts as maintained by Lagos State.

“Justice is served and serves as a warning to those who may consider such heinous act,” it stated.

It stated that the four sex offenders were convicted for offence of defilement and were sentenced by the Lagos State High Court.

The first offender, it is said, is Momoh Isa who got life imprisonment.

It also named ”Prince Tom” who also got life jail term.

“The third offender, Ujong Ibiang, also sent to life imprisonment while Emmanuel Gabriel, the fourth offender, was sentenced to 21-years imprisonment,” it stated.

The agency appealed to the public to continue to demand justice for survivors.

It urged residents of the state to report domestic or sexual violence by calling 08000 333 333. (NAN)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Peya Mushelenga, has urged the inhabitants of the ||Kharas Region to stand united to fully participate in the value chain of the green hydrogen project.

He made the called at the official launch of the regional campaign for national symbols in Oranjemund in the ||Kharas Region on Thursday.

Mushelenga said unity is of paramount importance among the inhabitants of the ||Kharas region, as the country embarks on the monumental green hydrogen project, which holds the promise of transforming the energy landscape, creating new opportunities, and driving economic growth.

“We must collaborate across sectors, across communities and across boundaries, with the region’s vast area and small population, we need to welcome and work hand in hand with people who don’t speak like us, look like us and worship like us to realise the development of our beautiful region,” he said.

The minister further said that mining, tourism and fishing sectors are the pillars of the region’s economy and they too require collaboration and unity to flourish.

“By working together, we can unlock the true potential of these industries, attract investment, create jobs and improve the lives of our people. We must recognise that our collective success lies in our ability to leverage the strengths of each sector, to share knowledge and resources and to build partnerships that drive sustainable development,” he added.

However, Mushelenga qualified that unity is not just about economic prosperity, but about creating a society where every individual feels valued, respected and included.

“It is about nurturing a sense of belonging and shared purpose. When we stand united, we become a force to be reckoned with, a force that can overcome challenges, address inequalities and build a brighter future for all,” he stressed.

He also urged the inhabitants of the region to embrace national symbols and to embody the values they represent.

“Let us observe the hoisting or lowering of our national flag with pride, while adhering to the correct protocols. Let us sing our national anthem with passion, and let us honour our Coat of Arms with reverence.”

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Namibian Police Force (NamPol) Spokesperson in the Zambezi region, Inspector Kisco Sitali, has highlighted ongoing concerns regarding stock theft in the region, with nearly 100 cases recorded this year.

During an interview with Nampa on Wednesday, the unit commander revealed that from January to September, 93 cases of stock theft have been recorded, involving the theft of 374 heads of cattle in the region, with a combined value of over N.dollars two million.

Out of the 374 livestock stolen, 211 were successfully recovered in Namibia, and 38 of those were found in Zambia. The remaining 163 animals have not yet been recovered. Those arrested in connection with these cases include 18 Namibians and 16 Zambian nationals.

Meanwhile, Sitali believes that there is a market for stolen livestock in both Namibia and Zambia. He acknowledged that the cattle taken to Zambia are primarily used for farming purposes, while those stolen and kept within the region are slaughtered and sold as beef to local residents.

In light of this, Sitali cautioned the Zambezi region’s residents against the emergence of unauthorised meat markets, where stolen livestock meat is sold. He also called upon traditional authorities to regulate the meat market to prevent the sale of meat from stolen animals.

The spokesperson further said his office faces challenges in working with livestock owners to combat stock theft and cited gross negligence on the part of cattle owners in attending to their herds, while cattle herders leave their flocks unattended while grazing.

When animals are left unsupervised, it becomes difficult for the police to trace missing livestock, Sitali added.

In an effort to address these issues, NamPol, along with their counterparts in the Western Province of Zambia, have combined resources to combat stock theft through border patrols and collaboration with other stakeholders in watch forums. He urged farmers to always brand their animals to facilitate the tracking of missing livestock.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Oshikoto regional head of rural water supply and sanitation in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, (MAWLR) Stevenson Tuukondjele has encouraged Oshikoto regional constituency residents to maintain traditional wells as an alternative to the shortage of water supply.

Tuukondjele, in an interview with Nampa on Wednesday, said there is currently a shortage of water in Eengodi, Okankolo, Nehale and some parts of Omuthiya constituencies.

“These areas are at the receiving end point of the Calueque Canal from Angola which supply us water”, said Tuukondjele.

He said that the Government is busy upgrading the canal so that it can start holding a huge volume of water to accommodate the demand for water as it is high this time of the year.

“From August the weather changes, from cold to hot, and people and animals get dehydrated. Plants need to be watered and when the water is come from the main sources, it is already occupied severely and when it reaches to Oshikoto region, it is fewer”, said Tuukondjele.

Tuukondjele is not certain when the challenge of the shortage of water will be resolved, saying the process might take time as pipes need to be filled first before it reaches these constituencies.

In the meantime, residents are encouraged to maintain the traditional wells as an alternative source and people should purify the water either by boiling it or using water tablets that they receive from Ministry of health, he advised.

He further said the ministry is also trying to get tanks to transport water to schools and clinics in the meantime, adding that it is a very hectic and costly exercise as there are no proper roads.

“The roads are not conducive as our trucks either get stuck in the sand road or get stuck by thorns, and it is costly to repair them,” said Tuukondjele.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) is urging the public to register their Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards before the deadline of 31 December 2023.

The ministry, in a press release issued on Thursday, stated that any SIM cards not registered by this cut-off date will be disconnected.

“Despite the critical timeframe provided for this critical process, there has been a low public response to this imperative [procedure]. MICT firmly reiterates that there will be no extension granted beyond the specified date of 31 December 2023,” it said.

According to the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia, as of 15 June 2023, only 795 991 out of 2 760 804 subscribers, constituting a mere 29 per cent, have registered their SIM card, the press release read.

“It is essential to underscore the significance of SIM card registration, as this process plays a pivotal role in deterring phone-based fraud, identity theft, and other criminal activities,” it added.

Mandatory registration and identification of SIM card users align Namibia with international best practices, according to the ministry.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

First Lady Monica Geingos has highlighted that paths to ending AIDS must be sustainable, which includes sustainable finance.

Geingos made these remarks at a High-Level Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) event titled ‘Celebrating Global HIV Progress to End AIDS and Advance Sustainable Development Goals’, hosted Thursday at the UN on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly.

The Namibian First Lady said that there is much to celebrate in global HIV progress to end AIDS. Sufficient gains have been made, including the announcement by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) that Namibia has achieved HIV epidemic control, one of six African countries to do so.

Namibia mobilises 70 per cent of its domestic resources, with the rest coming from the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which is a crucial partner in the fight to end AIDS.

The Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS #WeAreEqual Campaign will see African First Ladies lend their voices and advocacy platforms to speak to closing the gaps in gender equality. With the campaign already launched in several African countries, it seeks to reach N.dollars 700 million African minds and hearts.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency