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CUSTOMS SERVICE INTRODUCES ADDITIONAL UNIFORM

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The Management of the Nigeria Customs Service has approved a new additional uniform to give officers and men variety of uniforms that can be worn depending on the weather and assignment to be executed.

The additional wear which was officially presented to the public by the Ag. Deputy Comptroller General of Customs in charge of Tariff and Trade, Isa Talatu Mairo and the Service Public Relations Officer, DC Joseph Attah, has white atop the usual ash coloured trouser with a tie to match.

Officers and men working in offices, airport and especially during hot weather will find it easy and more comfortable to wear on duty.
For the avoidance of doubt, this is not a change of uniform but an addition to give officers and men variety of official wears.
The white top which can either be long or short sleeve is part of the ongoing reforms aimed at giving officers additional outlook that befits a Service operating on high integrity standard.

While giving his nod for the official use of the new uniform, the comptroller General of Customs, Col, Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) expressed the hope that the additional wear will help shove up the Service image as well as provide more comfort for operatives at certain time and in appropriate assignment to increase productivity.

We don’t have any problems with 5% fuel levy- PENGASSAN, NUPENG

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The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN and its sister union, the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, say they have no reservations against the five percent fuel levy in the harmonised PIGB recently passed by the National Assembly.

Recall that the National Assembly Conference Committee last week passed the harmonised version of the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill, PIGB, which includes a five per cent fuel levy on consumers.
The bill imposes a five percent levy in respect of all fuel sold and distributed within the country and monies accrued from the levy, according to the bill, would be deployed towards funding of the Petroleum Equalisation Fund.
Speaking on the development, the Chairman, NUPENG and PENGASSAN Joint Committee on PIB, Mr. Chika Onuegbu, said oil workers in the country have no qualms with the fuel levy because they were duly consulted before the PIGB was passed.
Onuegbu, speaking to our correspondent in Port Harcourt, explained that monies accrued from the fuel levy would be used for road maintenace across the country, noting that dilapidated roads were a major challenge in the country.
He stated that the oil workers’ unions would only have problems if the implementation of the bill does not reflect the discussions and agreements reached during the consultations before the making of the bill.
According to him, “We don’t have issues with the five percent levy, we have been in constant touch with the National Assembly and our understanding is that the monies from the levy will be used for infrastructural development such as road maintenaince.
“We have been in constant discussion with the National Assembly, we were engaged, we were consulted and we agreed that five percent fuel levy is okay because from time to time, we have always had PTD and NUPENG threatening to go on strike because of bad roads, so it is something that we were consulted and we don’t see any issue with it.
“It is only if it is not implemented as discussed that we will find issue, but in terms of the general principles, we are okay with it. We are not saying it is a step in the right direction because we don’t know the direction, but we are saying we don’t have any reservation against it because we were duly consulted.”
Onuegbu, who is a former National Industrial Relations Officer of PENGASSAN, also called for the speedy assent to the PIGB by President Muhammadu Buhari, as well as the speedy passage of other aspect of the Petroleum Industry Bill.
“We think the President should speedily assent to the PIGB so that the reforms in the petroleum industry will begin to take shape,” he said.
Asked how the five percent fuel levy will be realised and if it will affect the pump price of fuel, Onuegbu said, “we don’t know for now, that will be worked out over time, the bill is not yet a law for now until assented by the President.
“The problem is not increase in fuel price but deregulating the sector, it is about making sure that the refineries are working and that products are available.”

Ex-militants ask Dokubo to sanitize amnesty office.

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Niger Delta ex-militant leaders on Tuesday warned the newly-appointed Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Prof. Charles Dokubo, against saboteurs and corrupt employees in the Amnesty Office.

The ex-agitators under the auspices of the Niger Delta Reformed Ex-agitators Association (NDREA) told Dokubo that such corrupt and selfish elements were behind the downfall of his predecessor, Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh (rtd).

They appealed to him to identify and remove bad eggs from the office to enable the scheme actualise its objectives.

The former militant leaders, who were drawn from the nine Niger Delta states, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing a scholar, technocrat, and administrator to coordinate the scheme.

But they insisted that some highly placed persons were in the habit of misleading coordinators of the scheme by creating impediments to effective implementation of the programme.

The ex-militants, in a statement signed by their National President, ‘General’ Ebiowe Ayado, expressed confidence in the ability of Dokubo to deal with the threats.

The statement said, “However, we hereby call on him to beware of the bad eggs in the Presidential Amnesty Office that misled his predecessor and created impediments for the smooth and effective implementation of the mandate of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

“He should weed off the bad eggs and inject fresh blood into the programme and engage very patriotic and committed persons as his aides to enable him to actualise his mandate.

“He should do away with all the aides that misled the former Special Adviser, Paul Boroh and appoint only very honest and dedicated aides to help him succeed in his new assignment.

“He should never recycle or engage all those who have questions bothering on corruption and other illegalities to answer under his predecessor,” the statement added.

Grindr under fire for sharing users’ HIV status.

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Grindr, gay dating app, has come under fire for sharing information about users’ HIV status or locations with two companies enlisted to optimize its software.

Grindr chief technology officer, Scott Chen, said in a Tumblr post that sharing data with partners such as Apptimize and Localytics was “industry practice” and that steps were taken to protect people’s privacy.

“As a company that serves the LGBTQ community, we understand the sensitivities around HIV status disclosure,” Chen said.

“Our goal is and always has been to support the health and safety of our users worldwide.”

Grindr users have the option of sharing their HIV status and when they were most recently tested.

Researchers worried that including the health information with other data such as location and email address could result in people being identified.

Online rights champion Electric Frontier Foundation called Grindr’s response “disappointing.”

The Los Angeles-based company said that it uses Apptimize and Localytics to test and validate its platform, and that data it shares with them could include users’ HIV status or location fields.

Sensitive data are encrypted when sent, and vendors are under strict contractual terms to keep it secure and confidential, according to Chen.

Norwegian nonprofit research group SINTEF uncovered the data sharing, and concern spread in the US after Buzzfeed reported the findings.

“Grindr has never, nor will we ever sell personally identifiable user information –- especially information regarding HIV status or last test date -– to third parties or advertisers,” Chen said.

He noted though that Grindr is a public platform, and that should be kept in mind when deciding what to put in profiles.

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) called Grindr’s data sharing “an egregious breach of confidentiality laws,” demanding it “immediately cease and desist the reckless practice.”

“It is extremely unfortunate that those men who have been courageous enough to share their HIV status, be it positive or negative, on their Grindr profiles, may have now had that most personal data indiscriminately shared by Grindr,” said Michael Weinstein, the AHF president.

“We laud those Grindr members for their courage and challenge Grindr to quickly get its act together to restore the confidentiality all members deserve.”

News website Axios reported that Grindr’s security chief said the company has stopped sharing users’ HIV status with its third-party vendors.

“You guys should just close up now,” read one of the few comments in an online chat forum under the Grindr post at Tumblr.

“No one cares about your efforts or industry standards. You betrayed the LGBT community in more than just the one way.”

South Africa pay tribute to Winnie Mandela.

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South Africa on Tuesday paid heartfelt tributes to Winnie Mandela, who died aged 81, as politicians hailed her as an inspirational anti-apartheid campaigner and defended her often controversial record.

The former wife of Nelson Mandela died in a Johannesburg hospital on Monday, mourned by many who praised her as one of the most charismatic and energetic activists who fought white-minority rule.

Her convictions for kidnapping and fraud, and her reputation for overseeing brutal gang violence in black townships, were largely brushed aside by eulogies of her bravery, independence and integrity.

President Cyril Ramaphosa, who described her as “an abiding symbol of the desire of our people to be free”, confirmed that a memorial service would be held on April 11 and an official funeral on April 14.

Zweli Mkhize, a senior minister in the African National Congress (ANC) party government, said Winnie Mandela’s death marked “the end of an era” as she was a leading stalwart from the darkest days of the anti-apartheid struggle.

“We are losing the last few of those very committed freedom fighters and I think all we have to do is to always take lessons from her life,” Mkhize said outside Winnie Mandela’s house in Soweto where she lived for decades.

“When she had to face the apartheid government, she was fearless — but also among ourselves she was never shy to criticise.”

– ‘Not allow racists to insult her’ –

The outspoken leader of the radical opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party Julius Malema, who became a confidant of Winnie Mandela in recent years, was also among mourners at her modest two-storey red brick home on Tuesday.

“Because (she) was living among her people, and never betrayed her people, they gave her the title of the ‘Mother of the nation,'” he said.

“We are here to celebrate the life of a person who has never looked down on black people and the poor masses.”

Malema attacked those who criticised her chequered past, saying that “the least we can do is defend her in death and not allow the racists to insult her”.

“They fear her even in death — that is why they continue to call her names, that is why they continue to characterise her in a manner that we do not know.”

The ANC’s Women’s League, which Winnie Mandela once led, will stage a mass march to her home on Wednesday.

The firebrand activist died peacefully in Johannesburg’s Milpark hospital on Monday, her family said, adding that she was “was one of the greatest icons of the struggle against Apartheid”.

– A marriage apart –

Most of Winnie Mandela’s 38-year marriage to Nelson was spent apart, with Nelson imprisoned for 27 years, leaving her to raise their two daughters alone and to keep alive his political dream.

Glamorous and tough, she played a high-profile role in the battle to end repressive white-minority rule.

But her reputation came under damaging scrutiny in the later years of apartheid rule.

In 1986, she was widely linked to “necklacing”, the burning alive of suspected traitors who had flaming, petrol-soaked tyres forced over their heads.

In 1990 the world watched when Nelson Mandela finally walked free from prison — hand-in-hand with Winnie.

The following year, she was convicted of kidnapping and assault over the killing of Stompie Moeketsi, a 14-year-old boy.

In 1992, the Mandelas separated, and then divorced in 1996, after a legal wrangle that revealed she had an affair with a young bodyguard.

In 2003, she was found guilty of theft and fraud over bank loans.

During her old age, she re-emerged as a respected elder who was feted as a living reminder of the late Mandela — and of the long and celebrated struggle against apartheid.

Nobel laureate archbishop Desmond Tutu described her as “a defining symbol” of the battle against oppression.

“She refused to be bowed by the imprisonment of her husband, the perpetual harassment of her family by security forces, detentions, bannings and banishment,” Tutu said.

“Her courageous defiance was deeply inspirational to me, and to generations of activists.”

AFP

LGA Polls:  Olaka Nwogu not imposing any candidate – Olaka Prince Ogoru

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Ahead of the June 16 local government elections in Rivers state, the PDP chairman of Ebubu clan in Eleme Local Government area of Rivers State, has said reacted to rumors making rounds that Senator Olaka Nwogu is imposing candidate on the Eleme people.

The reaction followed allegations that the ex senator is attempting to make an Ebubu son the chairmanship aspirant of the PDP in Eleme Local Government Area.

Prince Ogoru explained that the leadership of the PDP in Eleme is only allowing fairness to prevail on who becomes the PDP chairmanship candidate, by giving opportunities to communities who are yet to occupy the position to contest.

Also, the Vice President of Ebubu youth council, Andy tete Otto, has said it’s the turn of the people of Ebubu to produce the next council chairman in the forth coming Local government elections.

Leading candidates interested in the chairmanship ticket of the PDP in Eleme Local Government include, Ex CTC boss of Eleme, Obari Ollormate who hails from Onne; current CTC boss Godwin Abbey Lolo from Agbonchia and Ebenezer from Ebubu.

Six workers killed in bus attack en route to South African platinum mine

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Six South African miners were burnt to death when the bus taking them to work was set alight by a petrol bomb thrown by unknown attackers, police and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said on Tuesday.

The platinum belt in the world’s top producer of the precious metal has been a flashpoint of violence rooted in community grievances over jobs and revenue flows and conflict between rival unions.

“Six workers were burnt beyond recognition and the other workers had to escape through windows. We also do not know what is the motive of the attack,” Phillip Mankge, the NUM’s North East Regional Secretary, said in a statement.

The attack occured Monday night near the town of Burgersfort in northern Limpopo province while the workers were being driven to the Modikwa platinum mine, operated by African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) and Anglo American Platinum.

ARM spokeswoman Jongisa Magagula said production at the mine, which produces around 300,000 ounces of platinum group metals annually, had halted and staff would hold a mass meeting later in the day.

The companies said in a joint statement that 44 workers were also receiving medical attention in the wake of the attack.

The South African Police Service said that it was offering a 500,000 rand ($42,000) reward for information leading to arrests or possible convictions of those responsible.

When police arrived on the scene “the bus had already burnt to ashes with six victims inside,” police said in a statement. A high level team of investigators had been assigned to the case.

NUM said that there have been “a number of incidences in Burgersfort and surrounding areas recently that led to road closures and trucks burnt.”

A turf war between NUM and arch rival the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) has also triggered violence that has killed dozens of workers, including 34 wildcat miners shot dead by police in 2012 outside the Marikana mine operated by platinum producer Lonmin.

Britain to ban ivory trading

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Britain says it will ban the sale of ivory, no matter how old, to help protect the world’s elephant population.

The government said Tuesday that the ban is the toughest in Europe and will impose a maximum five-year prison sentence for offenders.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove says “the abhorrent ivory trade should become a thing of the past.”

There will be exceptions for some old musical instruments and for works of art, such as portrait miniatures, that are more than a century old.

Conservationists say about 20,000 elephants a year are killed for their tusks. David Cowdrey of the International Fund for Animal Welfare says the British ban sends “a clear and unequivocal message that ivory trade is over and rightly being consigned to the history books.”

Zimbabwe’s leader thanks China’s Xi, pledges to boost ties

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Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday for Beijing’s political support and pledged to strengthen ties with the Asian giant on his first visit since his dramatic rise to power last year.

Xi welcomed Mnangagwa to Beijing when they met following a formal welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People.

“You are an old friend of China and I appreciate your efforts to develop relations in all areas,” Xi said in opening remarks. Xi praised Mnangagwa’s efforts to “improve people’s lives” in Zimbabwe, though he did not go into specifics.

“As Zimbabwe’s good friend and partner, we are very happy about this,” Xi said.

Ahead of an election scheduled for August 2018 at the latest, Mnangagwa is under pressure to bring back foreign investors and resolve a severe currency shortage, mass unemployment and dramatic price increases.

Mnangagwa, who along with members of his delegation wore a scarf in the colors of Zimbabwe’s flag, thanked Xi for his reception and recalled his military training in China in 1963-64. In the 1960s, China helped train and supply guerrilla fighters from the Zanu’s military wing in the fight for liberation. Mnangagwa, 75, was part of that effort after he joined the fight against white minority rule in then-Rhodesia.

Mnangagwa congratulated Xi on his re-election as president and on the establishment of his political theory, simply referred to as “Xi Jinping Thought.”

“I will take this mantra to Zimbabwe and hope to develop some socialism in Zimbabwe with Zimbabwean characteristics,” Mnangagwa said.

The trip is Mnangagwa’s first since longtime leader Robert Mugabe resigned in November under pressure from the military. Mugabe’s government maintained warm relations with Beijing but was accused of widespread corruption.

Some of that ill-gotten wealth was reported to have gone through China, which became increasingly enmeshed with Zimbabwe’s government and economy as Western nations withdrew over human rights concerns and mismanagement of the once-prosperous country.

Among those projects is the 300 megawatt expansion of the Kariba South by China’s Sinohydro in a deal worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Rivers Community petitions Italian Government over recurrent flooding

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 The people of Aggah community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, have petitioned the Government of Italy and Eni the parent company of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, a NAOC, following recurrent flood in the community, allegedly caused by the company.

Recall that last year, the community had threatened to petitioned the Italian Government as it called on the Environmental Rights Action, ERA, to prevail on NAOC over the recurrent flood in the area usually orchestrated by operations of the Italian oil company.

The community alleged that Agip built its oil-producing platforms on water right-of-way, a channel through which water from the community empties into Oloshi River in the area.

These were made known when a legal team, Advocate for Community Alternative, led by Barr. Chima Williams and Barr. Jonathan Kaufman, visited the community to intimate them of developments on the matter.

Speaking, Barr Chima Williams, the Principal Partner Chima Williams Associates, called on members of the community to remain peaceful and to speak in one voice in order to achieve justice.

According to him, “The community is only asking NAOC and Eni to sit and listen to the problem of the community caused by them through their activities. They should find an amicable resolution to the problems so that at the end both parties will benefit.

“The community should not see anybody as their enemy because they have already taken the right step in the pursuit of this justice. NAOC should accept the olive branch the community is extending to them for peace.”

Also speaking, Barr. Jonathan Kaufman said petitioning Italy and Eni was a right step in the right direction.

Kaufman stated that justice would be achieved in the matter because it was not a complicated one.

“Approaching Italy where the parent company is, which the community has done is a right step. We will make the corporate headquarters to see reasons to resolve the problem of Aggah community.

“The Italy we have gone is one of the strategies adopted to ensure peace and justice. The community would prefer to see their problems solved through organised dialogue.”

For his part, the Coordinator of Egbema Voice of Freedom, EVF, Pastor Everistus Nicholas, said the community is in panic as the rainy season approaches, following the annual flooding orchestrated by oil facilities belonging to NAOC.

Nicholas explained that the community for over 40 years has been faced with annual flooding and called on the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, to get relief materials ready to help the community.

“We are happy that we have gotten the attention of the international community, we believe we are making progress. We know that Agip is always in the business of divide and rule but we will remain united.

“We have the mandate of the community that is why we rise to the occasion and over 1000 indigenes of Aggah turned out to sign a formal document submitted to the government of Italy.”

Meanwhile, a woman leader in the community, Mrs. Victoria Elechi, explained that the flood water is usually polluted and has been disastrous to the people.

“When the flood comes it causes a lot of problem in the community, when it goes it leaves many sicknesses. After the last flood the sickness that came killed about four pregnant women. The flood is polluted so it leaves everybody with sickness.

“We are living in fear now that the rains are here again, we are afraid that our crops and our farms will be destroyed again, we are afraid that sickness will come again. We are calling on Agip to please do something about the situation,” the woman leader said.

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