07/31/18

at
Latest Reality Blog is a legal blog where you are updated on online latest news, gist, entertainment, events, motivational text, and genue articles.

President Muhammadu Buhari was Tuesday in Lome elected the new Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The President’s election was one of the high points of the 53rd Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS which held in the Togolese capital.
In his acceptance remarks, the Nigerian leader, who commended his colleagues for his election, noted that he did not offer himself for the post, “but you refused to take my no for an answer.”
He, however, told his fellow leaders that, “I am truly humbled and pledge to serve and work with all of you to deliver on peace, security, good governance and socio-economic development” of the sub-region, and “take our organisation to greater heights.”
President Buhari also commended his immediate predecessor and President of Togo, Faure Gnassingbe for successfully hosting two important meetings of the Joint Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and ECOWAS as well as the 53rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS.
The new Chairman had earlier been presented with the Emblem of ECOWAS by the outgoing Chairman, while the next meeting of the organisation will take place in Abuja on December 21, 2018.
Continue reading

at
Latest Reality Blog is a legal blog where you are updated on online latest news, gist, entertainment, events, motivational text, and genue articles.

The University of Ibadan on Tuesday renamed its Arts Theatre after Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka. The university also named the Practical Theatre as Geoffrey Axworthy studio.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Axworthy was the founding Director of the School of Drama of the university in 1962.
Soyinka was also the founding head when the school was transformed into a full Department of Theatre Arts in 1970.
Speaking at the unveiling of the theatre, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, said the event marked a landmark in the history of the university.
The vice-chancellor said the two iconic figures had played significant roles in the development of the department and the growth of performing arts in the country.
According to him, the quest to rename the theatre after Soyinka received the approval of the Senate at its meeting in October 2017.
“But the honour being conferred on Prof. Wole Soyinka today belongs to a special class.
“ Not only is he being honoured during his lifetime, he is physically present to receive it in good health of body and mind, ” he said.
According to him, the theatre was constructed in 1956 to provide a forum for performances and other forms of entertainment.
“Now that the Arts Theatre is being renamed, we are hopeful that the new vision for Wole Soyinka Theatre will be realised sooner than later with the active support of benevolent philanthropists and well-meaning corporate organisations, “he said.
In his remarks, Soyinka said he was happy to be in the university, adding that he was in a familiar environment with lots of memories.
“This is a place of memories for me, I also felt contented co-honouring me with Geoffrey Axworthy who fought so hard to make the department what it is today.
“It is very easy to forget pioneer, but I have to say that our successors here have a sense of history, so, I must thank you all for this, “he said.
The Nobel Laureate, however, urged the lecturers and students of the department to continue to make it great with creative production.
“You all should try and have fun like we used to and continue to make the department great with creative productions, “he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2nd Geoffrey Axworthy lecture entitled, “Geoffrey Axworthy and the Modern Nigerian Theatre, ’’ was delivered by Prof. Ahmed Yerima, the Vice-Chancellor of Reedeemer University, Ede, Osun.
Yerima said Axworthy used his position as the Director of the School of Drama to influence policy development and implementation.
Axworthy, he said, also promoted the relationship between the “town and the gown.”
NAN reports that Soyinka was a student at the University of Ibadan between 1952 and 1954.
He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986.
Dignitaries at the event included Prof. Femi Osofisan, John Pepper Clerk, Dr Kolade Musoro and Chief Gbenga Arulogun
Continue reading

at
Latest Reality Blog is a legal blog where you are updated on online latest news, gist, entertainment, events, motivational text, and genue articles.
Gov. Abdulfattah Ahmed & Senate President, Bukola Saraki

The President of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki has officially quit the All Progressives Congress (APC). This coincided with a similar action by Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed of Kwara State, who also announced that he was leaving the party for the Peoples Democratic Party.

In a tweet on his twitter handle @BukolaSaraki, Saraki announced that he had decided to take leave of the APC.

He wrote: “I wish to inform Nigerians that, after extensive consultations, I have decided to take my leave of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Saraki was however silent on joining any other party.

Meanwhile, Governor Ahmed also declared his decision to dump the APC for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Ahmed in a a tweet on his twitter handle @AbdulfataAhmed, said: “Following consultations and in response to calls by major stakeholders in the state, I have moved to the PDP as APC can no longer serve as a platform for achieving the aspirations and expectations of my people”.

Saraki’s defection from the APC comes a week after the defection of many members of the Senate and House of Representatives from the ruling APC.

Saraki’s defection from the APC comes less than 24 hours after the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC dissolved the State Executive Committee of the party in Kwara State.

The dissolution according to a resolution signed by the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, was after the actions of some of the leaders of the party who participated in an open rally calling on the Senate President to decamp to the PDP.

Continue reading

at
Latest Reality Blog is a legal blog where you are updated on online latest news, gist, entertainment, events, motivational text, and genue articles.

A High Court in Owerri today stopped the swearing-in of Callistus Ekenze, Head of Civil Service of Imo, as Deputy Governor of the state.
The Imo House of Assembly on Monday sacked the former deputy governor Eze Madumere at the end of an impeachment proceedings, despite a court order stopping the process.
But today, the court made another ruling stopping the swearing-in of Madumere’s successor.
The Attorney General and Commissioner For Justice for the state, Barr. Miletus Nlemedim, conveyed the latest order to Governor Rochas Okorocha and hence the cancellation of the swearing-in of Ekenze as Deputy by the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Pascal Nnadi.
Nlemedim also informed the crowd gathered to witness the ceremony and halted it.
Madumere had succeeded in securing an interim injunction, restraining the swearing in of Ekenze.
The state High Court on Monday gave an order stopping the state House of Assembly from continuing the impeachment of Madumere.
Justice Iheka of the state high court gave the order following an application by the counsel to the deputy governor, Ken Njemanze (SAN) in which he informed the court that his client had requested the court to stop the impeachment process.
A panel of inquiry was set up by the chief judge to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct levelled against Madumere by the state House of Assembly.
Justice Iheka therefore ordered the state House of Assembly and the state’s Attorney General to maintain status quo pending the decision of the court.
The case has been adjourned till August 13.
Continue reading

at
Latest Reality Blog is a legal blog where you are updated on online latest news, gist, entertainment, events, motivational text, and genue articles.

The UN said it received 70 new allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse across all its entities and implementing partners, between the beginning of April to the end of June 2018.
UN Deputy Spokesperson, Farhan Haq, while announcing the allegations, said 18 cases involved peacekeeping operations, and 25 from “agencies, funds and programmes”.
“Please note that not all the allegations have been fully verified and many are in the preliminary assessment phase,” he explained, breaking down the 70 allegations.
A total of 43 allegations involved UN personnel, 24 related to non-UN personnel working for implementing partners, and three others related to non-UN international forces, which had been authorised by a Security Council mandate.
Of these 70 reported incidents, 27 took place in 2018, nine in 2017, five in 2016, 10 in 2015 and two allegedly occurred in 2014, while the date is unknown for 17 allegations.
The vast majority, 46, were categorised as sexual exploitation, the UN deputy spokesperson said.
He defined sexual exploitation as “any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another”.
According to him, another 18 allegations were categorised as sexual abuse.
Haq said sexual abuse was “the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions”.
The UN deputy spokesperson said another six were classified as “other” or of an unknown nature.
Women and girls suffered the most from this scourge, according to the figures presented by Haq.
Out of a total of 84 reported victims, 46 were women, 17 were girls – under the age of 18 – and 12 were females whose ages were unknown.
In addition, one boy – under the age of 18 – and five males of an unknown age were also among the victims.
Out of 88 alleged perpetrators, all but eight were men, with four women and four individuals whose genders were unknown.
According to Haq, so far, three of the allegations have been substantiated through an investigation, two cases have not been substantiated, and four were closed due to other circumstances.
The remaining 61 were at various stages of investigation or under preliminary review, while a total of 16 allegations had been referred to the relevant Member States for action.
“We have continued our efforts to implement the Secretary-General’s strategy to combat sexual exploitation and abuse,” Haq said.
Regarding the UN’s commitment to end impunity, he explained that in June, the UN launched “an electronic tool for screening UN staff dismissed as a result of substantiated allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse, or who resigned or were separated during an investigation”. LR News
Continue reading

at
Latest Reality Blog is a legal blog where you are updated on online latest news, gist, entertainment, events, motivational text, and genue articles.

There has been a reduction in the retail price of electricity by 6 per cent, subsequently cushioning 3.6 million users in Kenya.
Kenya’s Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) announced the reduction.
According to ERC, the overall unit cost of power will reduce from Kshs 17.77/($0.18)KWh in 2017/18 to Kshs 16.64($0.17)/Kwh 2018/19 representing an overall reduction of costs by 6% over the Tariff Control period.
“The lifeline tariff which is meant to cushion the low income households, who at the moment constitute 3.6 million,” said ERC.
Additionally, commercial and industrial customers on the average will get a reduction of 4.4 percent.
“This is in addition to the 50 percent discount in the time of Use Tariffs and the proposed Special Economic Zone tariff,” said ERC in a statement.
To ensure that there’s equity and consumers pay for power only when they consume, all fixed charges for all consumer categories have been removed.
This is meant to reduce the many cost items in the customer bills and simplify understanding of the bills, said ERC. APA
NAN reports that World Bank had granted Kenya one billion dollar concessional loan for energy, transport and water infrastructure projects in poorer regions of the country’s north and northeast.
The World Bank sai, that the regions were being targeted because they had benefited little from Kenya’s strong economic performance.
“Most of the money will be spent in the counties of Garissa, Isiolo, Lamu, Mandera, Marsabit, Samburu, Tana River, Turkana, Wajir, and West Pokot which fall below national averages on development indicators,” the bank said.
“These infrastructure investments are laying the ground for additional operations that will enable sustainable livelihoods with targeted support to farmers and pastoralists in the region.
“It will also ensure expanded support to the most vulnerable households through regular cash transfers.”
The East African economy is growing by about 5.8 per cent this year, after electoral turmoil and drought cut last year’s expansion to the lowest level in more than five years.
The funding will go to six projects, including an off-grid energy access initiative worth 150 million dollars.
The World Bank said the off-grid energy project would provide electricity to 1.2 million people and contribute 96 megawatts to the national grid.
A further 500 million dollars would go toward a 740 kilometres stretch of the Isiolo-Wajir-Mandera road corridor in the northeast as well as enhance internet access there.
The new loan is in addition to 1.4 billion dollars the World Bank has already invested in the region in the areas of health, transport, agriculture and social protection.
The World Bank said “given the significant needs, more needed to be done in a targeted and coordinated manner if the bank is to support the Government of Kenya in its efforts in the north and northeastern region.”
Typically, World Bank concessional loans have zero or very low interest rates and have repayments periods of 25 to 40 years, with a five or 10-year grace period.
Continue reading
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)