Allafrica Post

Benin City- Despite moves by Edo State Government to check indiscriminate parking, picking and dropping of passengers in some designated areas especially Oba Ovoramwen square (Ring Road) in Benin city, commercial motorists have continued in their old ways in these areas. The State government had set up 'Operation Clean Up Edo', to decongest the ever busy City centre and environ, followed by Public Works Volunteers (PUWOV), an agency with the mandate to carry out the task against street trading and packing in unauthorized places within the metropolis. But the presence of PUWOV and that of its sister agency, the State's traffic control and management officials (EDSTMA) stationed at these locations have done little to stop the drivers from picking and dropping passengers while their vehicles are on motion. But the practice which no doubt endangers the lives of occupants in these vehicles is nothing to worry about according to a commuter who lamented long distance trekkin...

Lagos - Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has sent an urgent appeal to two UN special rapporteurs urging them to “prevail upon the government of President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)to reach an agreement to end the ongoing strike action by ASUU, which continues to have real and dire consequences on the right to higher education, specifically university education, as guaranteed by the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to which Nigeria is a state party.” In the urgent appeal dated 28 December 2018 and signed by SERAP senior legal adviser Bamisope Adeyanju, the organization said: “By failing to prevent and end the ongoing strike action by ASUU, the Nigerian government has defied and breached the explicit requirements of the right to equal access to higher education by Nigerian children and young people, under article 13(2)(c) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cult...

Benin city - In a bid to stamp out  unprofessionalism in the practice of  journalism in the country, Edo Civil Society Organization has called for a legislation to back the operations of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ). The group, a network of civil society groups in Edo state said the legal framework will regulate the establishment and running of media outfits as well as prosecute anyone found to have violated the laws guiding the profession as application in other relevant profession. The spokesman for the group, Leftist Osaze Edigin who made the call in an exclusive Chat midweek with The Nigerian Observer in Benin city, said journalism practice in the country has been hijacked by quacks, hence the need for urgent steps to sanitize the profession. According to him, "Journalism should truly be a practice that is regulated and filled with professionals with requisite training to practice. This regulation must be backed by an Act of parliament with severe penaltie...

(Edo NOA Director, Mrs Grace Eseka lecturing participants on how to thumbprint during voting) Benin City - As part of measures to ensure a hitch-free 2019 general elections, the Federal Government today said it will continue with the education of electorates on the various symbols of the registered 91 political parties, especially on how best to thumbprint to minimize the problem of voided votes. The Edo state director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mrs Grace Eseka made this known in Benin city during the Agency's One-day public enlightenment campaign on voter education towards next year's general election. The event according to Mrs Eseka is one in a series of programs lined up for the engagement of stakeholders across the three senatorial districts of the State. The Edo NOA Boss who described the number of voided votes in past elections as "worrisome", called on politicians to refrain from hate speeches, fake news and vile campaign, which she said ...

Benin City - In commemoration of 2018 International Anti Corruption Day, a group, Action for Socio-Political and Economic Change (ASEC) over the weekend in Benin city held a one Day capacity building for activists and journalists on the use of Freedom Of Information Act. The workshop with the theme: "Freedom Of Information Act: Citizens Potent Tool For Public Accountability and Transparency" was used to renew citizens commitment to the fight against corruption in the country, and also to equip participants with the legal tool in making requests into government records. According to the group's Coordinator, Leftist Osazee Edigin: "The period where governance was left in the hands of a few to run in any manner that suits them is over; "we are all critical stakeholders and have roles to play in the process of financial management, general information and probity of our commonwealth." The facilitator of the workshop, Barrister President Aigbokhan explai...

Oghara-Delta state - Following the recent killings by suspected ritualists at Oghara in Ethiope west Local Government Area of Delta state, the inhabitants have charged security agencies to rise up to their responsibility as they now live in fear in the community. Oghara which is host to Delta State University Teaching Hospital, one of the three state-owned polytechnics and a private university as well as the country home of Ex governor, James Ibori had within a short period witnessed back to back killings. Those living in the community no longer leave their homes when it is already dark or before breaking of the day as that is the time when the killers usually target their victims, harvest their vital organs, leaving their lifeless body in the pool of blood. According to a source, a 66-years Old woman, Mrs Vero Ofotokun was killed recently by suspected ritualists who were said to have struck at about 4.30am when she was outside her home processing cassava flakes known as 'gar...