Why An NGO Is Concerned About Balancing Human Rights & Business

Okonta Emeka Okelum, Asaba

With growing concerns about human rights abuses carried out within confine walls of many business entreprises and reported daily in Nigeria, a Non Government Organization (NGO) is worried and committed at doing something to change the situation.

Recently, the N.G.O, Global Rights, organized a two day intensive training workshop for Nigeria Journalists at Abuja and Lagos, with a view at addressing the gap and challenges citizen & business entities face at balancing human rights and running business entities in Nigeria.

Jummai Pam, Global Rights's Program Officer, unveiled how the gaps and challenges are being addressed globally.

According to her, the United Nations in 2011 endorsed some set of guidelines, called 'united nations guiding principles on business and human rights'.

This United Nations Guiding Principles has 31 principles enacted under three pillars.

Sharing insights into the features of the guiding principles, Pam, pointed out that the guiding principles is a non binding legal instrument.

The implementation of this guiding principles is non-discriminatory operationally speaking.

The guiding principles applies to all states and businesses, regardless of location, sizes, ownership, structure or sector, Jummai Pam noted.

It is the States obligation to respect, protect and fulfil human rights and fundamental freedom, the guiding principles advocates.

In the same vein, business enterprises are required to comply with all applicable laws and to respect human rights.

There is as well need for rights and obligations to be matched to  appropriate and effective remedies when human rights are breached, Pam told journalists.

The N.G.O believed that a sound understanding of the three pillars of the United Nations Guiding Principles On Business & Human Rights, makes a huge difference in balancing running proactive businesses and respecting human rights.

Jummia Pam, noted that the first pillar is couached around the idea that it is the state's duty to protect citizens against rights abuses.

Here, she pointed out, states must protect against cititzens against human rights abuses within their territories by third parties.

This requires taking appropriate steps to prevent, investigate, punish and redress abuses through effective policies, legislation, regulations and adjudication, Pam explained.

Journalists were informed about the second pillar as corporate responsibility to respect human rights, which means businesses should avoid infringing on human rights of others and seek proactive means to address adverse human rights impacts with which they are involved with.

Of the third pillar, Global Rights believes that as part of their duty to protect against business related human rights abuses, states must ensure through judicial, administrative, legislative or other appropriate means that those affected by rights violations have unhindered access to effective remedy.

SOURCE: ASABA POST NEWS WIRE (ONLINE)

The Civil War: How The Catholic Missionaries Stuck With Biafra Even When They Were Advised To Return To Europe

 
This is the second and the most important reason. This is the reason that sealed the love and relationship of the igbos and the catholic church.

When the Civil war broke out More than half of all the catholic missions in Nigeria were situated in Igboland.

They received letters from their European countries asking them to leave the war zone but they refused.

They remained with the igbos and followed them deep into Igboland when the federal forces encircled igbo land.
 

They provided news of the immense suffering wrought by the civil war to outside media, and helped garner support for the Biafrans from the international Christian community.
 

They were hated by Nigerian forces and started coming under attack. Many of them lost their lives in the war.

They treated the sick, provided aid from the international community .

All those photos of starving children you see were taken by most of them which they sneaked outside the world so the world can know what is happening.
 
 In 1968 a Vatican mission visited Biafra, and Pope Paul VI (who had been the first European cardinal to visit Nigeria in 1962) personally spoke out on behalf of the Biafran Igbo.

Missionaries who supported the Biafran Igbo were expelled following the war—roughly 500 total—and no foreign priests were permitted to work in Nigeria until the mid-1970s.
 

The names of the catholic missions that stood with the igbos till death were the Irish Holy Ghost Fathers , Holy Rosary Sisters. Caritas and a host of all others.

The catholic church saved millions of lives during the war. Its vast global reach helped provide aid to the famished igbos during the war.

After the war the Catholic church also helped in rebuilding and shaping our schools and hospitals.
 
  The Nigerian forces were annoyed with the role the catholic church played during the war. They took over all the mission schools in a bid to weaken the catholic influence in Igboland.

Our schools suffered decay and neglect under Nigerian help. Thank God they have been returned to the Church.

The catholic church will forever reign in Igboland because of this two reasons. The catholic church shaped our socio cultural society and civilized us , then they fought and died with us during the horrible days of the war.

We igbos will forever be grateful to the mother church.   (Merit Intel)

Tony Elumelu Foundation to Host the Largest Gathering of African Entrepreneurs at 5th Annual Entrepreneurship Forum in July in Abuja

The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), Africa’s foremost champion of entrepreneurship, will host its 5th Annual Forum — the largest annual gathering of African entrepreneurs – on July 26 – 27, 2019. The two-day event will take place at the iconic Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

The Forum is the culmination of the annual Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme, which this year mentored, trained and seeded over 3,000 young Africans, selected from over [216,000] applicants.

The event provides a unique opportunity for young women and men, from all 54 African countries, to meet, learn and network with the broader African and global entrepreneurship ecosystem.

It is also a critical opportunity for political leaders and policymakers to meet, face to face, a new generation of African business leaders, who are transforming Africa’s economic trajectory.

Keynote speakers at the highly anticipated Forum include His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, and His Excellency Macky Sall, President of Senegal, who will join Tony O. Elumelu, CON, TEF Founder and Chairman of Heirs Holdings and the United Bank for Africa (UBA) in an intimate open house discussion.

 The Presidential Convening is a highlight of the Forum,  allowing the African entrepreneurs in attendance to closely engage with political leaders, to give first-hand testimony of the important role government can play in catalysing growth and encouraging business ambition.

The Forum agenda includes masterclasses and panel discussions with leading speakers and sector experts, from Africa and globally, who will engage attendees in specialised training sessions to share insights, deepen their knowledge and refine their skills.

The Forum will also feature a pitching event, where select entrepreneurs will deliver exciting presentations on the goods and services they provide to a distinguished judging panel.

For the first time, the Forum will be hosted in Abuja, the Federal Capital of Nigeria and will bring together leading policymakers, business leaders, development agencies and the entire entrepreneurship ecosystem including alumni of the Foundation’s Entrepreneurship Programme.

 Last year, a significant highlight was the launch of TEFConnect, the digital networking platform for African entrepreneurs, which provides a unique digital hub for the African entrepreneurship, facilitating networking, mentorship and most importantly business beyond borders.

 Previous Forums have been headlined by African leaders, including President of Ghana, HE Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Kenya, HE Uhuru Kenyatta, Former President of Nigeria, HE Olusegun Obasanjo, Former Prime Minister of Benin and TEF Advisory Board Member, HE Lionel Zinsou, Vice President of Nigeria, HE Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation’s determination to bring change in scale, across Africa and its relentless focus on entrepreneurship is rooted in the inclusive philosophy of Africapitalism, created by its Founder, which recognizes economically empowering Africa’s youth — the continent’s future wealth creators — and thereby creating sustainable economic and social wealth, as one of the most pressing issues of the 21st century.

In 2015, the Foundation committed $100 million to empower 10,000 entrepreneurs from across the continent, over 10 years.

 Now in the 5th year, the Foundation has funded, mentored and provided business management training to over 7,500 start-ups and small businesses, from all 54 countries in Africa.

“The TEF Entrepreneurship Forum will not just convene the most important stakeholders in the African entrepreneurship ecosystem, it provides an opportunity for everyone to make a commitment to advance entrepreneurship and scale the impact of our entrepreneurs if we are to accelerate the development of the continent,” TEF CEO, Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu said.

She added: “We are constantly inspired by the stories we receive from our entrepreneurs who are creating jobs, employing people and impacting their local communities and ultimately, the continent. We believe that these entrepreneurs are our future. Invest in them now and reap the Africa of our dreams tomorrow. This is what we are committed to.”

SOURCE: ASABA POST NEWS WIRE (ONLINE)

Global Righs, CODE, Other NGOs Mourn Killings In Nigeria

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Global Rights Join Forces With Other NGOs, Stakeholders To Mourn Slain Nigerians Today

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Press Statement on the Second National Day of Mourning and Remembrance

The Joint Nigeria Civil Society Action calls on all Nigerians to join in activities to commemorate the second National Day of Mourning and Remembrance for all victims of violent killings across Nigeria. Our call comes at a time when virtually all states of our country have been beset by violent killings with impunity. Currently at the epicenter of these crises is the ongoing violent killings in Kaduna and Zamfara states, which are rapidly spiraling into a national catastrophe and are threatening the very fiber of our nationhood. Our recently concluded national and state elections were also not spared; and were marred by violence which resulted in the unfortunate killings of 626 Nigerians between the start off of campaigns and the announcement of results.

The National Day of Mourning and Remembrance is a citizens-led initiative to express solidarity, and demand accountability for the security and welfare of all Nigerians. The resolve for a National Day of Mourning was consequent to the resolutions reached at a meeting of more than a hundred civil society actors a year ago in Abuja, to undertake a National Day of Mourning as a symbolic action capable of registering citizens’ dissatisfaction with the state of our national security, since protests no longer seem to impact the conscience of our political elites. Among other objectives, it seeks to:

1. Stir the conscience of our political class into developing the political will to protect our commonwealth through accountable governance.
2. Express solidarity with grieving communities across the country as we acknowledge and accord dignity to every single Nigerian life that has been lost, or disrupted, due to violent crises.
3. Rekindle our sense of nationhood by reminding ourselves that we are in this together, and that the office of the citizen is the most powerful office that can be occupied in this country.
4. Assert, as citizens, an end in our docility to no longer condone the narratives that seek to divide us.

The National Day of Mourning and Remembrance is scheduled for Tuesday, May 28, 2019 and will be marked by a series of symbolic actions listed below:

Solemn Assemblies: as a sign of our collective mourning, citizens will perform mourning ceremonies at Unity Fountain, and other strategic locations in all states across the country. The mourning ceremonies include:

Call their names: Citizens will acknowledge, and as a sign of respect for those killed, call out the names of as many individual victims as we can; and call on the government to acknowledge the loss of these citizens as worthy of more than passing attention. Our citizens are more than numbers.

Laying of wreaths: In honour and memory of all citizens lost in violent killings across the country, wreaths will be laid around each state as represented at the Unity Fountain, Abuja, and at other strategic symbols of unity in various states.

Mourning Procession: a silent mourning procession will commence from the locations of the solemn assemblies, around strategic locations in the various states.

Black: We invite all Nigerians to wear black on May 28, or at least a black arm band, or black ribbons as a symbol of their solidarity.

Half-mast flags: We invite all corporate entities, and the government to fly their flags at half-mast for the entire day.

Silence: We invite all Nigerians to observe a minute of silence at noon on May 28. Where they cannot be part of a ceremony, to stand in front of their homes, businesses, cars and be silent for a minute. For markets, to stop all trading activities for 5 minutes while a bell rings. We request radio and TV stations to observe the silence and advocate for their audiences to do the same. We ask for groups and institutions to hold solemn assemblies at about 11:45 am and observe a minute silence at noon.

As citizens, we remind our government at every level that Section 14(1)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria states that the Security and Welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government, and therefore demand:

For an urgent review of the country's security architecture

The immediate replacement of all service chiefs

The initiation of a government led process of documenting these deaths towards seeking accountability

The provision of social security for victims including disabled persons, orphans and other socially vulnerable citizens

Provision of better welfare services - including psychosocial support for our gallant security personnel.

As mentioned at the start of this statement, this is a citizens-driven movement that is entirely non-partisan and not skewed to any ethnic or religious leaning. In the spirit of national unity and patriotism, we therefore call on all Nigerians to their roles as occupants of the office of citizens and join in the commemoration of this event in their localities.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

For Joint Nigeria Civil Society Action Committee

Signed

Abiodun Baiyewu
Adamu Kotokorshi
Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, Ph.D
Ier-Jonathan-Ichaver
Ken Henshaw

For Coordinating Committee of the JN-CAC
Nigeria Mourns

contact@nigeriamourns.org

www.nigeriamourns.org

Gov Okowa Signs Water Bill, Others Into Law

Okonta Emeka Okelum, Asaba

 Senator Doctor Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta State governor, has signed water bill and other five bills into law on Thursday.

One of which is 'bill to provide for the Establishment of the Delta State Urban Water Corporation, Small Town Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, The Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, The State Water Sector Regulatory Commission'.

Other bills included’ the Warri/Uvwie and Environs Special Area Development Agency Bill.

Other bills he also signed into law were "Bill to Regulate the Registration, Establishment, Operations, Conduct, Monitoring and Inspection of Private Health Care Facilities in Delta State and other matters incidental thereto; Bill to Amend Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency; Bill to provide for the Audit of Public Accounts of the state Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Local Governments and other Matters Connected therewith; and the Bill to Establish the Customary Courts and to provide for the Composition and Appointment of Chairman and Members, Structure and Administration, Jurisdiction and other Matters Connected thereto".

Today, Gov Okowa said, I signed 6 Bills that were transmitted for assent by the Delta State House of Assembly. These Bills, which cover various areas of governance, will help to strengthen our great state.

Okowa, after signing the six bills into law, noted that it was the  collective responsibility of all Deltans to contribute towards building a virile state that all would be proud of.

Delta State government had entered into a four-year deal with the United States Agency International Development (USAID) on Effective Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Services (E-WASH) programme.

The General Manager, Delta State Urban Water Board (DSUWB), Chief Nosakare Okoh, while addressing newsmen noted the import of the recent development in the water and sanitation sector.

The new water regime in the state is a welcomed development as we are now partnering with USAID to properly improve on the 216 water schemes located in 10 zones in the state.

 A very positive way forward on how we will be engaging the consumers and doing business differently henceforth in the state, the general manager said.

The presence of USAID experts is encouraging as the programme is to reposition the board, knowing that it will become more viable and professionally managed in such a way that we can serve Deltans better, and also generate revenue for the state.

They will be helping us in terms of capacity building, institutionally reposition the emerging water corporate properly and keep us on track with the world best practices in water and sanitation sector, so that we can be at par with other developed world, Chief Nosakare Okoh declared.

Gov Okowa also commended the Delta State House of Assembly for being great partners in his administration’s efforts to develop the state, even as he explained the importance of the bills, praising the Delta State House of Assembly.

Earlier, the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Chief Sheriff Oborevwori, said the legislators had enjoyed cooperation of the executive which had led to passing of the bills for the development and advancement of Delta state.

He said the bills which were presented to the governor for assent passed through a rigorous legislative processes and assured Deltans that more laws will be passed by the House before the end of the first tenure.

SOURCE: ASABA POST NEWS WIRE (ONLINE)