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Selfless Service: Commander lauds 2 Nigerian Air Force Officers

Peace Piak Kanu
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The Acting Head of Mission and Force Commander UNISFA, Major General Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr, has commended the selfless service and exemplary act of professionalism exhibited by 2 officers of the Nigerian Air Force who recently completed their tour of duty as Staff Officers and United Nations Military Observers.

He described Wing Commander Uche Agha and Squadron Leader Olakitan Fatokun, United Nations Military Observer as officers who gave selfless service to humanity and represent the symbol of military professionalism associated with the Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian Military.

The Force Commander stated that their exemplary service has shown why Nigeria will continue to be relevant in United Nations Peacekeeping efforts.

He praised the commitment of the Nigerian Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff, the Chief of Air Staff and Principal Staff Officers of the various Services in their efforts towards repositioning Nigeria back to UN Peacekeeping Operations.

The Acting Head of Mission presented the UNISFA Plaque and Gold Coin for Peace to the 2 deserving officers, stating that the Gold Coin is meant for only those who impacted positively to mandate implementation and served meritoriously.

Others recognized were, Colonel Elie Bukuru of Burundi, the Force Chief of Staff and Wing Commander Bizeki Madzadzure the Chief U-4 from Zimbabwe.

 

PIAK

 

 

 

 

Energy transition agenda needs adequate funding – VP Osinbajo

Peace Piak Kanu
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Nigeria’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo says part of Nigeria’s goals in pursuing a just energy transition agenda is seeking, among other issues, adequate Climate Finance, especially through the African Carbon Market Initiative, ACMI.

He spoke on Monday while receiving a delegation from the US-based Rocky Mountain Institute, an international think-tank involved with the issue of the energy transition for the last 40 years.

Prof. Osinbajo had earlier in the day virtually participated in a progress meeting of the international African Carbon Market Initiative Steering Committee where the progress of the plans on broadening the market in Nigeria and Africa had been reviewed.

He said the Nigerian government would be working on issues of Climate Finance, specific projects that will advance the 2060 Net-Zero target of Nigeria and exploring the possibility of electric vehicles in the country.

“We will be considering the decommissioning of generators, development of cooking stoves, think through options such as electric cars; is it the right time? What about charging stations? These are some of the things we have to start thinking about.”

The Chief Executive Officer of Rocky Mountain Institute, Mr Jon Creyts, expressed readiness to partner with Nigeria on the Federal Government’s Energy Transition Plan since this was a commitment that is shared by the institute as well.

“We share the commitment with Nigeria to get to Net-Zero in 2060 and build a prosperous economy in the process,” Creyts noted, while explaining that the institute had worked on similar issues with China, India, Indonesia and altogether 62 countries around the world.

At the meeting of the ACMI, the Steering Committee noted that it plans to attain $1 billion in total commitments by buyers before COP28 later this year.

Besides the Vice President, the members of the ACMI include former President of Colombia, Ivan Duque Marquez; representatives of the United Nations, Rockefeller Foundation and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, (GEAPP) among others.

 

PIAK

 

 

 

Peter Obi promises to eradicate poverty, insecurity

Nnenna Okoronkwo
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The Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Mr Peter Obi has promised Nigerians that he would eradicate poverty and insecurity challenges in the country, if elected.

He made the pledge on Monday in Katsina at a presidential campaign rally.

“We are here with promise of building new Nigeria where there is security and without poverty.

“A Nigeria where your children and yourself will be happy to stay in,” he said.

Obi also said that he would ensure that youths were given proper attention to stop them from indulging into thuggery and other social vices.

He further said that he would create job opportunities for teeming number of unemployed people to enable them contribute positively to the development of the society.

The presidential candidate gave the assurance that he would also enhance business activities in the country.

According to him, he has already designed policies and programmes in all sectors of life that will assist to improve the living condition of the citizens and move the country forward.

He, therefore, urged the electorate to come out en masse to vote for Labour Party candidates during the election.

Also speaking, the Vice Presidential Candidate of the party, Datti Baba-Ahmed, said that from the time they were inaugurated, would be the end of insecurity bedevelling the country.

Baba-Ahmed said that they would also ensure prudence in governance.

He further gave the assurance that every citizen would live a happy life if the Labour Party takes over power in Nigeria.

 

N.O

Lagos: President Buhari inaugurates Deep Sea Port, Rice Mill

Peace Piak Kanu
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0

Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari has officially inaugurated the Lekki Deep Sea Port located in Itoke village, Ibeju-Lekki in Lagos state.

The Lekki deep seaport is one of the largest seaports in the country and one of the biggest in West Africa that would revolutionise the way goods are transported and traded in Nigeria.

The project worth over $1.5 billion is a Joint Venture between the Nigerian Government, through the Nigerian Ports Authority, the Lagos State Government, the Tolarams Group (the owner of the Lagos Free Zone), and China Harbour Engineering Company.

Rice Mill

In Lagos, the President also inaugurated the Imota Rice Mill, conceptualized and completed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State as well as the Bestaf Lubricant at MRS Holdings Company Limited.

The 200m litre lubricant plant, which covers the whole value chain of lubricants, is the first of its kind in West Africa.

On Tuesday, the President will inaugurate the historic first Phase of the Blue Line of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit in Marina and the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History at Onikan roundabout.

At the inauguration of the Lekki Deep Sea Port, the President led Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, the Minister of Transportation, Muazu Sambo, the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Ciu Jianchun, top government officials and traditional rulers, to witness the overloading from the Container Ship, sailing under the flag of Malta.

Speaking at the occasion, the Lagos Governor said; ”Mr President, we are happy this is happening in your time. It all started in your time and it’s been completed in your time.

”We are excited that the size of the vessels that will berth at the port would be four times the size of vessels that currently berth at Apapa and Tin Can Island Port.

”We are excited that in your own time, something fresh has been birthed in this country and it is going to generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs.”   

The Minister of Transportation noted that the inauguration of the project was made possible by the expedited manner the President handled all requests made by the Federal Ministry of Transportation concerning Lekki Deep Seaport.

”The very fact that the letter of intent between the proponents of Lekki Deep Seaport and its financial partners was signed as recently as April 2019 and by January 2023 the wide-ranging impact project is already being inaugurated, is a testament to the tenacity of purpose of the Federal Ministry of Transportation through the Nigerian Ports Authority,” he said.

He thanked the President for approving the Ministry’s extraordinary request to designate Lekki Deep Seaport as Customs Port and approved Wharf and its publication in the Federal Government Official Gazette in record time.

”With Seaports being under the exclusive legislative list, the Nigerian Ports Authority’s provision of a sinking fund for Lekki Deep Seaport Federal Government’s equity contribution gave this project the necessary statutory cover and financial guarantee in line with the law.

”Completing a project of the magnitude and impact of a deep seaport in a record time of 45 months shows the effectiveness of tenacious ministerial supervision, strict regulatory oversight and strong presidential backing,” he added.

Sambo, who described the project as one of the major legacies of the current administration, added that over 170,000 jobs would be created as operations commence.

The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, said the landmark gateway project jointly built by five parties from four countries is a fitting example of a good business model.

”This project is a joint venture between China, Nigeria and Singapore, and is run by a French company. The model of ‘five parties from four countries’ is a way of taking advantage of the wisdom and strength of all parties,” he said.

He pledged that China would promote this business model to pursue a Win-Win outcome, particularly for the growth, development and progress of Nigeria.

Using the analogy of three initial ‘E’ the Ambassador said the project is the Engine of the Economy, Equity of Investment and an Example of a Model Business.

On Engine of Economy, Jianchun explained that the Port is the number one deep-sea port in West Africa and one of the most modern and efficient ports in sub-Saharan Africa.

”It is estimated that the overall economic benefits will reach more than 360 billion USD, becoming a new engine of economic development that will empower the southwest region and the whole country.”

As an equity investment, the Ambassador described the port as a valuable practice for Chinese companies to move from the role of Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor to a strategic investor in building major infrastructure projects in Nigeria.

”The government doesn’t need to worry about the existence of guarantees or debt risks. It also shows that the investment climate in Nigeria can be trusted. We have every reason to be confident in Nigeria’s future development.”

The Managing Director, Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Prof. Adesoji Adesugba, recalled when the construction of the port began in June, 2020, with the flag-off by Mr. President,

“Very few Nigerians believed that it would become a reality, especially with the challenges of COVID 19 ravaging the country and the entire world at that period.

”Therefore, we should all be proud as Nigerians that this has not only become a reality, but a Free Zone has built and completed the largest sea port within four years which will reposition Nigeria as a regional hub globally for maritime business,” he said.

He pledged that NEPZA would continue to give Lagos Free Zone, and indeed, all free zones licensed under it, the institutional support required to sustain this project and all other projects being conceptualized in the free zones.

”We are ready to lead in partnering with agencies at National and Sub-National levels, and the private sector to provide the needed support for this investment to thrive.

”Particularly, we will partner with the Nigeria Custom Service to perform its role effectively in order to achieve the objective of making this project stand as a testament to the legacy of President Muhammadu Buhari.

”We must not allow the momentum generated by the commissioning today to wane. All hands must be on deck to sustain this reality, ” the head of Nigeria’s free zone regulatory authority explained.

At the Bestaf Lubricant plant owned by Sayyu Dantata, the founder and CEO of MRS Holdings Limited said the plant, which has the capacity of producing 1,700 different products, would contribute to foreign exchange generation for the country, through products export, as well as meet the needs of other neighbouring countries.

The former Commissioner of Agriculture in Lagos and the Monarch of Iruland, Gbolahan Lawal commended the Federal government for encouraging local production of rice which gave birth to the initiative of the Imota Rice mill.

Lawal mentioned the project commenced in year 2011 and a lot of efforts has being put in place by the Lagos State government to actualize the feat.

The Monarch also thanked the traditional ruler of the host town Imota, Oba Mudashiru Bakare-Agoro for providing over twenty-two hectares of land for the Rice mill which he believed will boost socio-economic activities in the area.

The traditional ruler of the host community, Ranodu of Imota, Mudashiru Bakare-Agoro, who was elated thanked God that the inauguration of the Imota Rice mill came to actualization during his reign, which according to him is a big achievement to celebrate his thirtieth year on the throne next month.

About Lekki DeepSeaPort

Lekki Deep Sea Port is located approximately 65km to the East of Lagos city and spreads over 90 hectares of land bordered on the South by the Atlantic Ocean. It is the biggest port in Nigeria, and one of the biggest in sub-Saharan Africa.

LekkiDeepSeaPort is a depth of 19 meters and is equipped with best-in-class facilities that provide large-volume shipping operations

It is the deepest seaport in West Africa and has a Marine infrastructure comprising a 9-km-long navigation channel, turning basin, breakwaters, quays, and berthing facilities.

It also has A 1-Berth Dry Bulk and General Cargo Terminal with a capacity of up to 4 million metric tonnes of dry bulk per year.

The LekkiDeepSeaPort is equipped with tank farm storage, loading arms, and is connected by pipelines running along the breakwater to carry finished products and cargo like petrol and diesel between the tank farm and the vessels.

The LekkiDeepSeaPort will provide 24/7 operations throughout the year, using the latest technology to facilitate smooth and efficient import and export of goods, ensuring smooth flow of cargo, and enabling opportunities for new businesses.

Over 300,000 jobs will be created from port operations alone. And a lot more indirect jobs across the value chain.

About the Rice Mill

The integrated rice milling operation in the state started on the success of the Rice for Job Programme which started in 2008.

The programme covered all aspects of the rice value chain. Paddy processing was done in cottage mills.

The programme graduated about 1,000 rice farmers across the value chain with different brands of packaged local rice called “Ofada Rice” in 500g and Ikg.

The programme birthed the first integrated mill in South-West Nigeria, a 2.5MTPH mill in Imota which was in operation till 2016. The mill had an annual output of 120,000 bags of 50kg of rice.

The Lagos Rice Mill, Imota will produce 2.5 million bags of 50kg rice per annum and is expected to generate about 250,000 direct and indirect jobs for Lagosians.

 

PIAK

 

 

 

APC will win Kano State with wide margin – Spokesperson

Nnenna Okoronkwo
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0

The governing All Progressives Congress APC, in Kano state north Western Nigeria has declared that the party, at all levels, will beat all other contending parties with wide margin in the upcoming 2203 general election in the state.

Spokesperson of the Kano APC Gubernatorial Campaign Council, Comrade Muhammad Garba, who is also the state’s commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs stated this in an interview with newsmen in the ancient city.

He said the party, based on plans and indicators on ground will win at both the presidential and gubernatorial levels with overwhelming votes, including the Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso led NNPP and it’s candidates in the state,

“Kwankwaso is from Kano, a former governor, a former minister and of course a senator. He will get some votes but APC will defeat him in the presidential race, and will defeat all other political parties by God’s grace in the gubernatorial race as well.

“We are saying, we are going to have a wide margin in the coming election.

“There will be no room for inconclusive election in this 2023 election because we have realised our mistakes. We have taken measures and control of everything including structures down to the ward level,” said the APC Spokesperson.

He explained that indicators on the ground have placed the leading opposition in the state, the NNPP, in third place position in the coming elections.

“Those of you who attended the BBC gubernatorial candidates debate in Kano have seen it all. The rating by the BBC scored APC 35 with the second having just 20 marks.

“The so much talked about NNPP scored 15 and in the 3rd place. This is an indicator.

“I want to assure you that the NNPP will be surprised when the elections come,” he said.

He said the Governorship candidate of the APC in Kano state, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna is receiving increasing acceptance and support from indigens within and outside the state as the Campaign continues, especially from professionals who have made inputs and fine tuned manifestoes of the party in the state.

“People are accepting him because they see him as more matured, composed, very humble and highly experienced person, especially as a former local government chairman, commissioner and incumbent deputy governor.

“As the commissioner of agriculture, he was instrumental to the Kano state Rice revolution with numerous Rice mills and the state fertilizer plant KASCO, that is generating huge revenue for the state now.

“On personal ground, he has given scholarships to students acorss the state and free healthcare services to people from his Nasarawa local government area.

“People feel he can rightly stir affairs of the state.

“Gawuna’s campaign is hinged on continuity having worked with the Governor Abdulahi Ganduje for years,” he said.

He added that since the inception of the Ganduje led administration, more than N18 billion naira has been paid to students from the state studying in foreign countries.

 

N.O

CHAN: Senegal, Cote D’Ivore Win To Reach Quarter-Finals

Mosunmola Ore
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Senegal and the Ivory Coast has qualified for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) quarter-finals in Algeria.

READ ALSO: CHAN 2023: Algeria Becomes First Nation To Reach Quarter-Finals

Senegal, who began the final round in Group B lying second, trounced two-time former champions the Democratic Republic of Congo 3-0 in the eastern city of Annaba.

The surprisingly comfortable victory elevated the Senegalese to first, and a last-eight showdown with the Group D winners, probably Mali, this Friday.

Ivory Coast were last in the standings as they kicked off against then leaders Uganda, but a 3-1 triumph lifted them to second and qualification for the knockout phase.

The Ivorians will face Algeria on Friday in Algiers at the Stade Nelson Mandela, a ground where the host nation won all three Group A matches without conceding.

Senegal finished with six points, the Ivory Coast and Uganda four each and the DR Congo two in a competition confined to footballers playing for clubs in their country of birth.

The head-to-head rule separated the Ivorians and Ugandans, and ensured all three west African contenders will be involved in the quarter-finals as Ghana have qualified from Group C.

After holding DR Congo and beating Senegal, a Ugandan side coached by Serbian Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic hoped to go beyond the group stage for the first time in six attempts.

But they began disastrously, allowing Sankara Karamoko and Vignon Ouotro to put the Ivory Coast two goals ahead after 27 minutes.

Moses Waiswa impressively converted a penalty on 34 minutes to halve the deficit, and Uganda missed chances before Aubin Kouame notched a third Ivorian goal 12 minutes from time.

Luck was not on the side of the east Africans as the woodwork denied Travis Mutyaba a late goal off a brilliantly taken free-kick.

In Annaba, DR Congo fell behind midway through the first half when Ousmane Diouf scored and they were reduced to 10 men before half-time after the red-carding of Kevin Mondeko.

Senegal sealed victory with two goals inside three minutes, from Pape Diallo and a Baggio Siadi own-goal, in the closing stages.

AFP

Anti-Corruption: Commission, Auditor General to intensify collaboration

Peace Piak Kanu
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0

Nigeria’s Anti-graft Agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation, are to intensify cooperation in the fight against corruption, economic and financial crimes in the country.

The commitment was made during a courtesy visit to the Commission by the acting Auditor General of the Federation, Andy Onwudili in Abuja, the capital.

Onwudili said his visit was meant to strengthen the existing collaboration between the EFCC and the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation, noting that both organisations’ mandates were similar and critical.

He commended the efforts of the EFCC in fighting economic and financial crimes in the country.

Onwudili who restated the commitment of the Auditor General office to accountability and transparency in line with its constitutional mandate lamented that the office’s performance was hampered by budget challenges, among others.

The acting Auditor General of the Federation also applauded the intervention of donor agencies especially the Centre for Democracy and Development, CDD, which he said, supported the completion of the Auditor General’s Forensic Laboratory in 2022 and the training of 40 Auditors on the use of software.

The EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa acknowledged the shared mandate of both agencies in promoting public accountability and transparency and assured the Ag. Auditor General of the Federation that the Commission will do its best to assist him to succeed in the discharge of the constitutional responsibilities of his office,

According to him, the Commission will push to ensure the Auditor General office is well funded “Because it will make our work easier.”

The EFCC boss further appealed to the acting Auditor General of the Federation to ensure quick responses to enquiries from the Commission

 

PIAK

 

 

 

Poland seeks to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine

Nnenna Okoronkwo
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0

On Monday, Poland said it would ask Germany for permission to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine – and would send them whether Berlin agreed as long as other countries did too.

The Kyiv government wants the German-made Leopard 2, one of the most widely used Western tanks, to help it break through Russian lines and recapture territory this year. Germany, which must approve re-exports of the Leopard, has so far held back, wary of moves that could cause Moscow to escalate, and says other NATO countries have yet to ask to re-export them formally.

Western countries have committed billions of dollars in new military aid to Ukraine in recent days: on Monday, European Union foreign ministers agreed to release their latest tranche, worth 500 million euros ($545 million), three sources said. But battle tanks dominated discussions at Monday’s EU meeting in Brussels and last week’s meeting of Western defence ministers in Germany.

“At this point there are no good arguments why battle tanks cannot be provided. The argument of escalation does not work because Russia continues escalating,” Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics said.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, whose country, like Latvia, neighbours Ukraine, said Warsaw would ask Germany for permission to re-export the tanks to Kyiv. But he added: “Even if we did not get this approval… we would still transfer our tanks together with others to Ukraine. The condition for us at the moment is to build at least a small coalition of countries.”

Germany’s foreign minister appeared to hold the door open to approving such shipments on Sunday when she said Berlin would not stand in the way if Poland wanted to send them. Ukraine and Russia are both believed to be planning spring offensives to break the deadlock in what has become a war of attrition in eastern and southern Ukraine as the first anniversary of the Russian invasion nears.

Fighting is now centred on the town of Bakhmut in the east, where Russia’s Wagner mercenaries and Ukrainian forces have been locked in battle.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, meanwhile, was grappling with a corruption scandal that could dampen Western enthusiasm for his government. A newspaper reported that the Ukrainian military had allegedly secured food at highly inflated prices, and a deputy minister resigned after an investigation into allegations he accepted a bribe. Ukrainian officials have been pleading with Western allies to supply them with tanks for months.

After Ukrainian advances in the second half of 2022, frontlines have mainly been frozen for two months, despite heavy losses on both sides. Ukraine says Western tanks would give its ground troops the mobility, protection, and firepower to break through Russian defensive lines and resume their advance.

“We need tanks – not 10-20, but several hundred. Our goal is (restoring) the borders of 1991 and punishing the enemy, who will pay for their crimes,” Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak wrote on Telegram.

In an apparent shift in Germany’s position, foreign minister Annalena Baerbock said on Sunday her government would not block Poland if it tried to send its Leopards. Arriving in Brussels on Monday, Baerbock declined to elaborate on those comments or say if she had been speaking for the whole government. She said it was essential to do everything we could to defend Ukraine.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrat party argues the West should avoid sudden moves that might escalate the war. But several allies reject that position, saying Russia is already fully committed to its assault on Ukraine. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said the tanks should not be held up one more day. In contrast, Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said Russia could win the war if Europeans “don’t help Ukraine with what they need now.”

Defence analyst Konrad Muzyka said that if tanks were sent without Berlin’s consent, Germany could refuse to supply spare parts for them at some point, which was why Poland was hoping other countries would also send Leopards.

“The political problem for Germany if they wanted to cut off the supply of spare parts would be much bigger if there was a coalition,” he said.

American lawmakers pushed their government on Sunday to export M1 Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine, saying even a symbolic number would help make European allies do the same. Britain has said it will supply 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron said he did not rule out the possibility of sending Ukraine Leclerc tanks.

Leopards, operated by some 20 countries, are more widely available than the British and French tanks and use less fuel than the turbine-powered U.S. Abrams. The Kremlin said the European splits over whether to provide tanks to Kyiv showed increasing nervousness within the NATO military alliance.

“But of course, all countries which take part, directly or indirectly, in pumping weapons into Ukraine and in raising its technological level bear responsibility for continuing the conflict,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Since its invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, which it has cast as defending itself from an aggressive West, Russia has taken control of parts of Ukraine it says it will never return. Ukraine has said that restoring its territorial integrity is not open for negotiation.

 

Reuters/S.O

 

EU to step up sanctions on Iranian officials

Nnenna Okoronkwo
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0

The European Union will step up sanctions targeting Iranian officials deemed to be involved in an ongoing crackdown against anti-government protesters in the country. Still, it will not go as far as declaring Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organisation until further legal processes are complete.

“Ministers adopted a new package of sanctions against Iran, targeting those driving the repression. The EU strongly condemns the brutal and disproportionate use of force by the Iranian authorities against peaceful protesters,” the EU Presidency said in a tweet on Monday.

The decision saw 37 additional Iranian officials and entities placed on the sanctions list. However, the EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, had told reporters that listing the IRGC could not happen until the designation had gone through a legal process.

“It is something that cannot be decided without a court, a court decision first. You cannot say I consider you a terrorist because I don’t like you,” Borrell said. In Iran, the government was adamant that any attempts to proscribe the IRGC were illegitimate.

“Based on the United Nations Charter and international law, blacklisting this state entity would constitute a clear violation of the Charter,” Nasser Kanani, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, said, touting the IRGC as an organisation that significantly contributes to the security of Iran and the region.

“Any violation of the IRGC would be a violation of Iran’s national security, and the repercussions would be directed at the violator,” Kanani added. The European Parliament last week overwhelmingly voted for a resolution that called for the IRGC to be proscribed, in addition to the imposition of sanctions on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Ebrahim Raisi, among others.

The resolution condemned Tehran’s response to the country’s protests, which began last September, the executions linked to the demonstrations, and drone sales to Russia. It is not binding and needs to be approved by the European Council’s consensus mechanism before being enforced.

In response, Iran’s parliament on Sunday tabled legislation to designate European armed forces as terrorists, which would be put to the vote if the bloc moves forward with its proposal. Speaking to state media on Sunday, foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian claimed that he was assured in phone calls with Borrell and his counterpart from Sweden, the current presidency of the bloc, that the EU would not push the proposal through.

Iran has also warned that blocking the IRGC in its entirety would mean the death of stalled talks to restore the country’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, with Amirabdollahian saying on Sunday that he could not rule out an exit from the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if that happens. On Monday, the Iranian foreign minister also said that the United States has constantly sent messages to facilitate a return to the accord, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“The Americans found out sooner than the E3 [France, Germany, and the United Kingdom] that there is nothing behind the riots in Iran. They sent a message sooner and insisted on returning to the JCPOA,” Amirabdollahian said, in line with Tehran’s repeated stance that the West has been behind the country’s unrest. The foreign minister’s comments come as Washington maintains that the talks are currently not a priority publicly.

The US, the EU, and others have imposed waves of human rights sanctions on Iranian entities and individuals in recent months in support of the protests. The US unilaterally abandoned the JCPOA in 2018, imposing harsh sanctions. If restored, the deal would lift sanctions on Tehran while re-introducing strict limits on its nuclear programme.

 

Al Jazeera/S.O

Election: VOA tasks Nigerian Journalists on professional ethics

Nnenna Okoronkwo
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0

Ahead of the general election, Nigerian Journalists have been urged to uphold to the ethics of Journalism to protect the good image of the profession.

The Programme Manager, African Division, Voice of Nigeria, VOA, Mr. Hamza Mwamoyo made the call at a three day election coverage training organised by US Agency for Global Media, VOA in collaboration with Channels Academy for Nigerian Journalists in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Mr. Mwamoyo called on Nigerian Journalists to provide a free and fair information and avoid using inflammatory language to prevent election related violence during and after the general election.

“As Journalists we are guided by principles while covering the elections to tell the truth, strive for impartiality, to be accountable, objective and provide an equal platform for political parties and candidates to communicate their message to the electorates, and always present a full account of events,” Mr  Mwamoyo said.

He also called on Nigerian Journalists to fact check stories in order to uphold the truth of the profession, avoid legal pitfalls and ensure accountability in every story to maintain trust.

The programme Manager, African Division,VOA also urged journalists to avoid collecting gratifications to write or publish the stories.

“Journalists cannot accept payment or gifts from any individual, specific interest group or political organisations in exchange for news coverage, it is a violation of journalistic ethics” he emphasised.

He called on Nigerian Journalists to read the 2022 Independent National Electoral Commission Electoral Law in order to understand more about Laws that guide the journalists; understand the rules and regulations on how to cover election and the use of Biomodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) before reporting or monitoring the election.

Similarly, the MD, Pensville Horizons Limited, Chukwudi Okolie-Ugbaje urged Nigerian Journalists to study the election rules, voting system and electoral laws in order to discharge their responsibility in providing a free and fair election coverage.

“this election is full of mines and your Job is to navigate the mines,” he emphasised.

Voice of Nigeria, Voice of America, AIT, ITV, Channels television are amongst the media organisations that are participating in the training

 

N.O

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