Nigeria: Cleanup Of Oil-Polluted State To Cost $12B

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May 18, 2023

Cleaning up decades-long oil pollution and restoring environmental health in just one of Nigeria’s crude-producing states will cost at least $12 billion, investigators said.

Bayelsa state, home to some two million people, “is in the grip of a human and environmental catastrophe of devastating proportions,” they warned in a much-awaited report.

Lying in the Niger Delta region, Bayelsa is where oil was first discovered in Africa in the 1950s, and where companies Shell and Eni have operated for decades.

“Once home to one of the largest mangrove forests on the planet, rich in ecological diversity and value, the region is now one of the most polluted places on Earth,” the report said.

The four-year investigation, carried out by the Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission — an international panel of experts and prominent figures who worked at the request of the local government says “At least $12 billion” is needed to “clean up the soil and drinking water, reduce the health risk to people and restore mangrove forests essential to stopping floods.”

It called on Shell and Eni, whose local subsidiaries still operate in the region, to pay a share of the bill.

“We are asking Shell’s new CEO Wael Sawan, before selling off Shell’s remaining onshore oil assets, to commit immediately to paying their share of the $12 billion bill,” said the commission’s chairman, John Sentamu, a member of Britain’s House of Lords and former Archbishop of York.

In a written statement, Shell said it had not seen the report and could therefore not respond to its conclusions at this time.

Eni also said that it had not been consulted about the report and rejected allegations of “environmental racism” made by the commission.

In response to the request for comment, Eni said it “conducts its activities according to the sector’s international environmental best practices, without any distinction on a country basis.”

“Regardless of the cause of a spill, we clean up and remediate areas affected by spills originating from our facilities,” a Shell spokesperson said.

Eni also said the company “undertakes to remedy in all cases” when spills occur.

Both companies continue to blame most oil spills on sabotage and theft

The report is based on over 2,500 pieces of evidence including 500 interviews and analysis of 1,600 blood samples from local people.

27 Officials Suspended On Suspicion Of Diverting Contaminated Sugar

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faith Jegede

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May 18, 2023

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Kenyan authorities have suspended 27 civil servants on suspicion of misappropriating about 1,000 tonnes of sugar declared unfit for consumption, the country’s director of public service said on Wednesday.

The shipment of sugar was imported into the country in 2018 and declared expired and “unfit for human consumption” by the Kenya Bureau of Certification (KEBS) to be converted into industrial ethanol.

Director of Public Service, Felix Koskei, who is also President William Ruto’s chief of staff said it was Instead, it was “irregularly diverted and released outside of any procedure” in a “criminal” act.

According to The Nation, the shipment of 20,000 bags of sugar, valued at more than 160 million shillings (€1.08 million), had been sold to a trader, who repackaged and resold it.

“It is clear that some officials in the agencies concerned have abdicated their responsibilities, risking public embarrassment,” Koskei said, announcing their suspension pending investigations.

Among the officials sanctioned are officials from KEBS, including its head Bernard Njiraini, the tax authority, the police, and the Food and Agriculture Agency.

Kenya is experiencing a sharp rise in the cost of living, especially for food.

The retail price of sugar has just risen by about 30% in a month to over 200 shillings (about €1.30) a kilogram, according to local media.

4 Kids Found Alive In Jungle Days After Plane Crash

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Rhoda Onuzulike

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May 18, 2023

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Colombian authorities found three children and a baby alive 17 days after a plane crashed with them on board in the jungle in the south of the country.

President Gustavo Petro made this known on Wednesday evening.

President Petro Of Columbia Presents Controversial Health Reform To Lawmakers
“After arduous search efforts by our Military Forces, we have found alive the 4 children who had disappeared due to the plane crash in Guaviare.
“A joy for the country,” Petro tweeted.

Colombian armed forces were still to confirm they had located the four minors – aged 13-years-old, 9-years-old, 4-years-old and 11-months-old.

On Wednesday morning, they found an improvised shelter built with sticks and branches in the jungle.
The Colombian government deployed more than 100 soldiers, sniffer dogs and local indigenous people to find the children.

The children were on board a Cessna C206 light aircraft when it crashed in the Amazon in the southern Caquetá department on May 1.
The three adults on board died in the crash.

Stage Set For Senegal Vs Morocco Showdown In U17 Africa Cup Of Nations Final Friday

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Emenike Agu

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May 18, 2023

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The stage is set for what promises to be a thrilling final between Senegal and Morocco at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers, Algeria in the TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations 2023.

The two have been amongst the most consistent performers in the competition. The final will kick-off at 22h00 local time (21h00 GMT) and will be watched in several parts of Africa.

So far, the TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations Algeria 2023 has been a resounding success attracting a number of top scouts from leading African clubs and also European clubs.

CAF and the Local Organising Committee (“LOC”) have been working hard in the last few hours preparing for the final.

While the 90 minutes will be the main event, a beautiful pre-event music and entertainment performance is being prepared featuring some top artists in Algeria.

The artists include the musical group Freeklane, and the Algerian legend Cheb Bilal.

Senegal dominated Group A, defeating Congo (1-0), Algeria (3-0) and Somalia (3-0). The Lion Cubs of Teranga knocked-out South Africa (5-0) in the quarterfinals before facing Burkina Faso (1-1) in the semi-finals, where a penalty shootout (5-4) decided the match.

Morocco also had a similar path to the Final. They finished top of their group ahead of Nigeria who they beat 1-0, South Africa (2-0) and Zambia (2-1). In the quarter-finals, they eliminated hosts Algeria (3-0). In the semis, they were held by Mali 0-0 and needed the penalties to advance (6-5).

World Cup 2026 Teams To Be Based In Clusters

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Emenike Agu

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May 18, 2023

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Teams at the expanded 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico will be based in regional clusters during the early rounds to ease travel, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said.

Speaking in Los Angeles to unveil the official logo and branding for the tournament, Infantino said the move was prompted by the scale of the 2026 finals.

For the first time the next World Cup will include 48 teams — up from 32 — and will be co-hosted by three countries, another first.

“The challenges will be the whole logistics around it,” Infantino said. “It’s a continent -– three countries and not three small countries either — three big countries.

“The distances, the time zones, the climatic differences too — altitude in Mexico, sea level in other parts.

“So for us it’s important to create the right environment for the teams and the fans to be put in the best possible conditions.

“Meaning not having to travel too much, especially at the beginning. So we will create some clusters where teams will be based depending on the draw and then they will play their games in that particular cluster.”

Infantino said travel, and the move towards basing teams in regions, had been discussed at a meeting in Doha last week of the 32 coaches involved in last year’s World Cup.

“This was one of the advantages of the World Cup in Qatar, where a player, one hour after the game, was in his bed,” he said.

“(In 2026) there will be some travel involved but we will coordinate that and make sure that it will be the best possible conditions for the teams.”

Infantino meanwhile hopes the tournament can build on the success of the 1994 finals in the United States, which helped establish Major League Soccer in North America.

Asked what he wanted the legacy of 2026 to be, Infantino told AFP: “That soccer will be the number one sport in North America.”

Over N200B Spent On Postponed Census – NPC Chairman

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Rhoda Onuzulike

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May 18, 2023

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The chairman of the National Population Commission, Nasir Isa-Kwarra, on Thursday, hinted at how N224 billion released by the Federal Government for the 2023 housing and population census was spent.

The initial money budgeted for the exercise was N800 billion but was cut short after the postponement.

2023 Census: Pres. Buhari Okays Postponement

Isa-Kwara mentioned in Abuja during a breakfast meeting with media executives that the N224 billion has been spent on preparations for the exercise which include printing of papers, and training of adhoc staff members, among many other miscellaneous.

Recall that the President Muhammadu Buhari postponed the census after several meetings with stakeholders in late April.

He said the incoming administration will decide on the new date the exercise will hold.

Details shortly…

Flying Eagles Land For Sunday’s World Cup Opener With Dominican Republic

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Emenike Agu

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May 18, 2023

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Nigeria’s Flying Eagles arrived in the city of Mendoza on Wednesday evening, four days before their opening match of the FIFA U20 World Cup finals against the Dominican Republic.

The team led by Head Coach, Ladan Bosso touched down at Aero Puerto International Airport, Mendoza and was received by NFF’s Head of International Competitions, Dayo Enebi Achor and officials of the Local Organizing Committee of the championship.

The Nigeria Football Federation had set up a pre-World Cup training camp for the Flying Eagles in Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina, where the team defeated an Argentine second division team, Almirante and battled out a 3-3 draw with fellow World Cup finalists Colombia in friendlies.

Nigeria, who will be making their 13th appearance at the FIFA U20 World Cup finals, open their World Cup campaign in group D against Dominican Republic on 21 May, and will also play Italy and Brazil in that order in the group phase.

NIMASA Gets Abuja Office After 30 Years

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Rhoda Onuzulike

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May 18, 2023

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The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency has finally gotten a permanent office in Abuja, after 30 years of operating the country’s capital city.

The Minister of Transportation, Muazu Sambo, at the commissioning of the building on Tuesday, challenged the staff to double their productivity as a response to the newly commissioned regional office in Abuja.

The new office, located in the Central Business District of Abuja, was opened by the Minister alongside the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh.

According to Sambo, NIMASA has operated from a rented office ever since, adding that with an improved work environment, the staff should justify the investment by scaling up production.

Deep Blue Project: Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Receive Security Assets

Sambo went on to say that the “Abuja Zonal Office serves as the nexus point between the NIMASA and the Federal Ministry of Transportation, the National Assembly, and all other relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as well as critical stakeholders like the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, amongst others.

He said, “The Abuja Zonal Office further oversees the operations of the NIMASA’s Lokoja Safety Base, thereby playing a pivotal role in delivering the Agency’s regulatory responsibilities on safety matters in our inland waterways.

“The Abuja Zonal Office further oversees the operations of the NIMASA’s Lokoja Safety Base, thereby playing a pivotal role in delivering the Agency’s regulatory responsibilities on safety matters in our inland waterways.”

The Director General NIMASA, Dr Bashir Yusuf Jamoh said the facility will reduce the cost of governance as it was no longer convenient for NIMASA to be operating in a rented apartment because of the importance of the regional office.

He said, “This office was established in 1987 and the Abuja office remains a cardinal office that interfaces with other agencies and we don’t have an office environment, so the essence is to ensure that we maintain sanctity in terms of productivity to boost economic growth and development.”

Labour Minister Says Doctors Strike Is Unnecessary And Uncalled For

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Olasunbo Okoromi

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May 18, 2023

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The Nigerian government says the five days warning strike embarked on Wednesday 17th May by the National Association of Residents Doctors, NARD in the country, was uncalled for and unnecessary. The Government has also described the industrial action it as “illegal”.

Nigeria’s Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige made the statement shortly after receiving a letter from the NARD executive, notifying him of the impending industrial action, billed to commence midnight Tuesday, May 16.

Reacting to the letter, dated May 16, 2023, Ngige said on receiving the letter, he contacted the Minister of Health, who informed him that a meeting has been scheduled by his Ministry with the resident Doctors for Wednesday 17th May, 2023.

A statement signed by the Director Press and Public Relations in the Ministry, Olajide Oshundun said that the Minister advised the Doctors to avail themselves of the opportunity for social dialogue with their employer, rather than embarking on a warning strike, which was unknown to the law.

He further stated that the Minister would instruct the teaching hospitals to employ adhoc people for those five days and they will use the money of the people who went on strike to pay the adhoc Doctors.

According to Ngige, that is the ILO principles at decent work, especially for those rendering essential services. Lives should be protected.

Commenting on the five demands of the doctors, Ngige said the Nigerian Government lacks the powers to compel the states to domesticate the Medical Residency Training Fund, MRTF, since health is in the residual list, where both the Federal and State governments have the powers to legislate.

According to him, the job of the Nigerian Government is to make policy and where the States disagree, they are at liberty to make their own policy adding that the federal government “cannot bully the States into domesticating the MRTF if they do not want to.

Regarding the issue of immediate payment of the MRTF to their members, he said it was appropriated in the 2023 budget, but has not been released, as the 2022 budget was still running, stating that those in 2022 have all been paid.

The Minister denied the claim by NARD that the Nigerian Government did not pay minimum wage consequential adjustment arrears to their members, saying that all workers in the Education and Health Sectors, and even the Defense agencies benefited from the adjustment.

He noted that the doctors cannot declare nationwide strike because some States were owing their members, pointing out that the federal government cannot also dabble into the issue, being a State matter.

Similarly, he said the Nigerian Government as the Executive arm of government cannot intervene in the bill at the National Assembly to bond doctors for five years, as it is a private member’s bill.

According to him, “any intervention by the executive on the matter impinges on the autonomy and independence of the legislative arm of government”.

The Minister said that although the bill has passed through first and second readings, he was sure it would be shot down at the public hearing since the law prohibits forced labour.

He further advised the doctors not to talk about 200 percent pay rise, as it was not feasible.

The Minister said besides, all the government has done for doctors and other workers in the health sector such as upward review of hazard allowances, the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA was already negotiating with the Federal Ministry of Health, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission and the Presidential Committee on Salaries on pay rise for doctors.

Meanwhile, the Resident Doctors made good their threat on Wednesday as they downed tools in all public hospitals across the nation where they have their members to drive home their demands.

UK Singer Warns Against AI Songs

By

Koko Lawrence

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May 18, 2023

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UK singer and actor Sting says musicians face “a battle” to defend their work against the rise of songs written by artificial intelligence.

“The building blocks of music belong to us, to human beings,” he said in an interview.

“That’s going to be a battle we all have to fight in the next couple of years: Defending our human capital against AI.”

His comments come after a number of songs have used artificial intelligence to “clone” famous artists’ vocals.

In February, DJ David Guetta used the technology to add Eminem’s “voice” for one of his tracks while a faked duet between Drake and The Weeknd went viral in April.

The latter was pulled from streaming services after a copyright complaint from Universal Music Group (UMG), which is also the label that releases Sting’s music.

“It’s similar to the way I watch a movie with CGI. It doesn’t impress me at all,” Sting said.

“I get immediately bored when I see a computer-generated image. I imagine I will feel the same way about AI making music.

“Maybe for electronic dance music, it works. But for songs, you know, expressing emotions, I don’t think I will be moved by it.”

The recording industry has quickly mobilised against artificial intelligence, launching a group called the “Human Artistry Campaign”, and warning that AI companies are violating copyright by training their software on commercially-released music.

Whether AI-written music can be copyrighted is still under debate. Under English copyright law, for example, works generated by AI, can theoretically be protected.

However, the US Copyright Office recently ruled that AI art, including music, can’t be copyrighted as it is “not the product of human authorship”.

Not everyone is against the technology. Pet Shop Boys frontman Neil Tennant recently suggested AI could help musicians overcome writers’ block.

“There’s a song that we wrote a chorus for in 2003 and we never finished because I couldn’t think of anything for the verses,” he told the Radio Times.

“But now with AI you could give it the bits you’ve written, press the button and have it fill in the blanks. You might then rewrite it, but it could nonetheless be a tool.”

Sting agreed with Tennant’s observation…. to a point. “The tools are useful, but we have to be driving them,” he said. “I don’t think we can allow the machines to just take over. We