The ‘National Rapid Gender Assessment Report on Accountability in Government spendings and palliative distribution during COVID-19’ commissioned by WARDC was presented during a webinar at the 11th edition of Civil Society Organisation (CSO) briefing.

The purpose of the study was to identify the differential impact of COVID-19 on women, girls and boys and other vulnerable groups. It also sought to document the experience of women and girls before and during COVID-19 in relation to roles, responsibilities, decision making and access to socio economic services and palliatives.

It was also undertaken to explore the current and potential gendered dimensions of COVID-19 and highlights the ways which women, girls and other marginalised people are likely to suffer from the pandemic. The lead researcher was Prof. K.O Olayode, a lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. 

A total number of 5,813 respondents were sampled across nine states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)  and questionnaires were distributed to women in randomly selected households across the selected states. 

Three local governments were selected from the three Senatorial Districts of each state and they were selected on the basis of urban, semi urban and rural socio-economic categorisation. 

Some of the questionaires were administered physically while the others were done through phone calls and video calls based on the prevailing situations of lockdowns, physical distancing and movement restrictions. 

Out of the states surveyed, those with the highest incidence rate of fraudulence in the management of COVID-19 funds were Kwara(17.5%), Lagos (16.7%) and Osun (16.5%), while the least reported corruption rate was from Kaduna (13.3%).

 The gender analysis of the survey showed that three in every five households were headed by men and the percentage showed that 64.6% of households across the states were headed by men and decision making in such households are largely taken by men.  

The survey revealed that the emergency nature of the pandemic is shoring up authoritarian power of the states which has further marginalised women’s participation in decision making.

 “Not only are women and men affected differently by COVID19, the pandemic has exposed the structural inequalities in the sociey, with devastating and disproportionate effects on women and girls in many ways,” Olayode said.

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Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s candidate for the World Trade Organisation director-general election, says she is in need of volunteers for her campaign.

In an interview with Arise TV, Okonjo-Iweala said some of her friends have been helping with media work pro-bono.

If elected, Okonjo-Iweala would be the first African to occupy the position.

“So far things are going well and I’m grateful for the support of the government and Nigerians. I don’t have any PR firm working for me. I have some friends who are helping with media work pro-bono because I cannot afford to pay them. It would be nice to have some volunteers,” she said.

Her nomination had triggered slight controversy as President Muhammadu Buhari approved her candidature as a replacement for Yonov Frederick Agah, WTO deputy director-general and Nigeria’s former candidate for the election.

Egypt and the AU’s office of legal counsel had opined that Okonjo-Iweala’s nomination violated the candidature guidelines provided by the AU.

However, the WTO told TheCable that the former World Bank managing director is eligible to run for the office.

The two-time minister of finance also described WTO’s acceptance of her nomination as a testament of the faulty premise on which opposition calls were made.

Okonjo-Iweala described herself as “the best woman for the job”, saying the WTO needs a fresh pair of eyes to take on its leadership.

She expressed gratitude to the federal government, the ministries of foreign affairs and trade, among others for their support.

The development economist described WTO as a critical global organisation that needs to be reformed in key areas like dispute resolution, adding that its effectiveness will be enhanced if it becomes more inclusive by supporting women, MSMEs, among others.

She has received the endorsement of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and seeks to get the support of the African Union (AU).

Credit: https://www.thecable.ng/

By Orkula Shaagee, Abuja

The Presidency came down heavily on the Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC),Ibrahim Magu with a suspension order yesterday, in order to preserve  the anti-corruption efforts of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, DAILY ASSET was told.

The fight against corruption is one of the three cardinal p[rogrammes of the Buhari administration on the premise of which it came to power in 2015.

Magu who was arrested Monday by security operatives  spent a night with the Force Criminal Investigation Department(FCID) after he appeared for hours before the Presidential panel investigating corruption allegations against him.

The panel headed by former President, Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Isa Salami(rtd) is investigating allegations that Magu owns property abroad and had being transferring funds illegally abroad through third parties. The allegations were brought against him by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.

A presidency source, who preferred not to be named, told DAILY ASSET in Abuja on Tuesday that the probe of the anti-graft boss was a bold statement by the Buhari administration that nobody under “the present administration is above scrutiny’’.

The source said the holder of a high office such as the chairman of the EFCC must be above suspicion, hence the decision of President Buhari to approve investigation of Magu.

He however cautioned against hasty conclusions adding the President was determined to be fair to all parties in the matter.

 “The panel investigating allegations against the Acting EFCC Chairman had been sitting for some weeks now.

“In consonance with the principle of fairness and justice, it was needful that the Acting Chairman be given the opportunity to respond to the allegations, which are weighty in nature.

“Under the Muhammadu Buhari administration, nobody is above scrutiny. The investigation is to reinforce transparency and accountability, rather than to vitiate it.

“Accountability for our actions or inactions is an inalienable part of democracy. In such an elevated position as that of EFCC Chairman, the holder of the position must be above suspicion.

“There’s no prejudgment — absolutely none. The Buhari administration can be counted on to uphold fairness and justice at all times,” the source explained.

Magu had been in the eye of the storm for weeks since the AGF wrote the President a memo in which he catalogued infractions by the EFCC boss.

Among others Magu was accused of corrupt handling of recovered assets from persons under investigation. He was also alleged to have travelled to Dubai during the lockdown without permission and for owning four houses abroad.

Malami had even recommended three names for possible replacement of Magu in his memo, which was leaked to the press.

Opinion was sharply divided yesterday, over the the on-going investigation of the EFCC especially the manner of his “invitation” by the panel, which took the form of an arrest by plain clothes security operatives suspected to be officials of the Department of State Services(DSS).

The DSS however, denied involvement in the arrest saga raising suspicion that operatives from the FCID may have carried out the operation.

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*Lawan: All previous actions by Keyamo null, void, go start afresh
*Keyamo kicks, says I’m not bound by directives of NASS

The Minister of Employment Labour and Productivity, Senate Chris Ngige, on Tuesday, apologised to the National Assembly over the recent altercation between the Minister of State for Labour, Mr. Festus Keyamo SAN, and a joint committee of the National Assembly over-sighting the ministry.

Keyamo had disagreed with the joint committee on the processes and modalities for implementing the Special Public Works programme of the Federal Government meant to hire 774,000 youths across Nigeria.

The beneficiaries are expected to be paid N20,000.00 per month for three months beginning from October to December 2020.

Ngige tendered the apology when he paid a courtesy call on the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, in Abuja.

Keyamo and other top officials of the Ministry were part of the minister’s entourage.

Ngige said that the position canvassed by Keyamo in his widely circulated letter on Monday is not sacrosanct.

However in a dramatic twist, Keyamo told reporters that he is not bound by the Director of the National Assembly, saying he will approach the President for final directives on the matter.

He added that the matter will also go to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami for interpretation.

Ngige said: “We deeply regret the incident that happened at the last visit, the altercations that followed it between my Minister of State and members of the joint committee.

“Therefore, we decided that as a team we will come in full force and give you the necessary information that you will need so that we can fast-track this programme.

“Today in the 9th Senate we are enjoying a good and robust relationship with the legislature and we do not want some of us who have passed through this institution will do everything that is possible to maintain that relationship.

“Therefore, Mr Senate President, I apologise on behalf of the Ministry for what took place at the last time and I hope that this apology will be taken by the members of the Committee and the entire National Assembly because I am aware and I know that a committee is a representative of the whole.

“The Committee room is an extension of our hallowed chambers over there like the plenary chambers. I therefore, request that we forgive and forget.

“Let us turn a new page and start off on this programme which the National Assembly has indicated that it is suspended because we can’t suspend forever programme that affect our people…

“My Minister of State has put out a position paper, that position paper, nothing is sacrosanct there. We can still discuss and agree to agree after disagreeing.

Lawan in his remarks insisted that all previous actions already taken on the programme by Keyamo are “null and void.”

He said that the process of recruiting the 774,000 Nigerians for the programme must start afresh while stressing the right of the National Assembly to demand and know the processes and modalities for implementing the programme.

He added that the programme is strictly to be implemented by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and vowed that the National Assembly would resist any attempt for the Ministry to hijack it.

Lawan said: “For me this is an opportunity to say the home truth…our committees were right to request for explanation on the modalities. We stand by our committees and we are in support of the suspension of the programme.

“In fact, any action taken before now is null and void. You are now going to start it all over. You said there is need for a fresh start. This is going to be a fresh air.

“From today once you engage and the explanations are accepted then NDE will start to put the structure (in place) because they would have explained how the 20-man selection Committee will be realized…

“I want to assure you Honourable Minister that we are going to support you all the way to ensure that the programme is successful but you don’t have our support if the Ministry ventures into it. We will continue to insist that the Ministry should have no role more than supervision of this programme.

“If the Ministry goes ahead that means the ministry is breaking the law because the budget is law.

“So we are on the same page and I want to thank you for your intervention. A harmonious relationship between the standing committees of the National Assembly and our MDAs is the responsibility of both sides.”

However Keyamo kicked against the position of the National Assembly on the matter and lamented that attempt was being made to bypass him in the execution of the programme.

He said he will approach the President to heat his final say on the matter.

He insisted that the directives by the National Assembly as to the execution of a project is not binding on him as the matter will have to be sent to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami for interpretation.

Keyamo said: “First of all, may I say that this Distinguished National Assembly, I believe that they are the lawmakers and they desire to comply strictly with the provisions of the law.

“Now, it is important that all of you read the National Directorate of Employment Act. You can see that the whole struggle today has been how to bypass me in the execution of this programme and I’m sure that you all saw that.

“Now with the provisions of the law, how they are going to do that, I don’t know, I have to go back to my principal which is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of Nigeria to give directives.

By Section 3 of the NDE Act, I am the chairman of the board. The minister is the chairman of the board of the NDE.

“When you say go back and bring a plan, you are still coming back to me. Secondly, if you look at Section 15 of the NDE Act, it said the minister may give directives of a general nature to the NDE.

“In other words, you cannot have a work plan without coming back to the minister.

“The third point is that by virtue of my appointment as a minister, the President gave a directive in October last year saying that I should go and supervise generally the activity of the NDE.

“I don’t see how you will supervise an agency and they go ahead without approval, the buck must stop at a table.

“The fourth one, beyond the general mandate the President gave, the President also specifically instructed me by memo in May this year for me to go and supervise the execution of this project.

“How can you supervise a project without your final approval. That approval lies on my table.

“Section 16(1) of the NDE Act by instruction of the President, an inter-ministerial committee has already been proposed – which we accepted – that the committee must drive the selection process.

“Section 16(1) said the minister shall constitute committees for the NDE. The Director-General of the NDE has no such powers to constitute committees under the law.

“So when you say go back and bring a plan, are you asking the DG to go and break the law?

“Are you saying the DG should disobey the President? Are you saying the DG should disobey his immediate boss which is his minister?

“I will go back to the President for directives. The directives as to execution of a project is not binding on me.

“The directives of the National Assembly is not binding on me. This is an issue that will go to the Attorney-General at the end of the day for interpretation.”

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The Law Students Association of Nigeria (LAWSAN) has commended Nigerian Senate for passing the Sexual Harassment bill.

This is contained in a statement made available to TheNigeriaLawyer (TNL) signed by Munir Shuaibu Ishaq, National Director, Directorate of Students’ Rights of the body.

LAWSAN believes that the Bill contains laudable provisions that will help in combating sexual harassment in institutions.

The statement reads:

“The Law Students Association of Nigeria under the leadership of Sen. Emmanuel E Nwobodo through the Directorate of Students’ Rights wishes to commend strongly the Nigerian Senate for passing the Sexual Harassment Bill on Tuesday.

“The Bill, which contains laudable provisions and proactive measures will surely go a long way in combating the increasing menace of sexual harassment in our institutions. Instructive, is its provision nullifying consent as a basis/defence for sexual relations with a student by a staff.

“The Law Students Association of Nigeria, Directorate of Students’ Rights, is optimistic, that with this recent development from the Senate, the Bill becoming an Act is not far from reality, and strongly urges the House of Representatives to give its concurrence.”

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The Senate on Wednesday received a request from President Muhammadu Buhari for the replacement and confirmation of two non-career Ambassadors-designate.

The request was contained in a letter read during plenary by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.

The President sought to replace the earlier nomination of Mr Oboro Effiong Akpabio and Brigadier General Bwala Yusuf Bukar from Akwa-Ibom and Borno State, respectively.

The letter reads: “In accordance to Section 171(1)(2)(c) and subsection (4) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, I have the honour to forward for confirmation by the Senate, the appointment of Mr. John J. Usanga and Air Commodore Peter Anda Bakiya Gana (rtd) from Akwa-Ibom and Niger State respectively, as non-career Ambassadors-designate.

“The Senate is kindly requested to recall my earlier submission of Mr. Oboro Effiong Akpabio and Brigadier General Bwala Yusuf Bukar from Akwa-Ibom and Borno State respectively, vide letter dated 17th June 2020, I substitute Mr. Oboro Effiong Akpabio with Mr. John J. Usanga (Akwa-Ibom State). I replace Brigadier General Bwala Yusuf Bukar (Borno State) with Air Commodore Peter Anda Bakiya Gana (Niger State).”

But coming under Order 43 of the Senate Standing Rules, the lawmaker representing FCT in the upper chamber, Senator Philip Aduda, protested the exclusion of a non-career Ambassador from the FCT.

According to him, the only FCT indigene presently serving as a non-career Ambassador in Sierra Leone, Hafiz Obada, was not re-appointed.

“For the ambassadorial nomination for the non-career, nothing has been said about the one for FCT. It has been silent and we have an Ambassador who is already sitting in Sierra Leone, his name is Ambassador Hafiz Obada. We don’t know what becomes of his fate because other states have been told to remain in their stations or they have been re-appointed.

“My issue is that is it at this time FCT will now lose an Ambassador. It is worrisome to me and the people of the FCT. Sitting here, names have been called for all other states except FCT and we have one.

“Now that particular non-career Ambassadorial slot for the FCT is being taken away from us and is being killed, otherwise we are also entitled to have, and that is what I have consistently said since this list came out.

“So, Mr. President, I hope something can be done to this to help the people of the FCT. We don’t get Ministerial nomination, we don’t get so many of these things, but the small ones that we have is about to be taken away which should not be so,” Aduda said.

In his remarks, the Senate President described the lawmaker’s complaint as valid, saying it is constitutional for an indigene of the FCT to be appointed as a non-career Ambassador by the President.

“I sympathize with the FCT but I know there were twelve non-career Ambassadors who were retained. I don’t know if you have an FCT indigene among those twelve, probably you should check that to see if you would see any FCT indigene, but your complaint is very valid.

“What I’m going to advise is maybe we need to take more political action, so that it doesn’t always come like it is an after-thought. The FCT is to be treated like a state, that’s what the Constitution states, so you deserve one like any other state deserves”, Lawan said.

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(Reuters) – Carlos Ghosn, the former Nissan Motor Co chairman, wired $862,500 last year to a company managed by one of the two men who later helped him escape from Japan, U.S. prosecutors said in a Tuesday court filing.

The disclosure came less than a day after the men, Michael Taylor and his son Peter Taylor, who are trying to avoid extradition to Japan in connection with Ghosn’s escape, petitioned a U.S. judge to release them on bail.

Lawyers for the Taylors said they have been held for more than six weeks at the Norfolk County Correctional Center in Massachusetts, where 36 inmates and staff have tested positive for COVID-19, based on flawed arrest warrants and extradition requests.

“Neither is a risk of flight and there are undoubtedly conditions under which they can be released,” the lawyers wrote.

Ghosn fled last December to Beirut from Japan, where he had been under house arrest on charges of financial crimes he has denied, by being smuggled in a box to a private jet.

Lebanon does not have an extradition treaty with Japan.

Tuesday’s filing in Massachusetts federal court shows wire transfers last October of $540,000 and $322,500 from a bank account in Paris to Promote Fox LLC, a company managed by Peter Taylor and a brother.

The filing does not say how much the Taylors were paid, but prosecutors said it reflects “additional evidence” that they have the resources to flee, and should remain detained as “flight risks.”

Michael Taylor is a U.S. Army Special Forces veteran and private security specialist.

In a ruling on Tuesday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Donald Cabell rejected the Taylors’ bid to quash their arrest warrants, with a written order to follow. He has not ruled on their bail requests.

A lawyer for the Taylors declined to comment on the wire transfers.

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The United Kingdom has barred 49 individuals and organisations involved in some of the most notorious human rights violations and abuses in recent years from entering the country.

The UK under the new ‘Magnitsky’-style sanctions regime will target those who have been involved in some of the gravest human rights violations and abuses around the world

The UK Mission in Abuja disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday, where it explained that the individuals and organisations are the first wave of designations under the new regime, with further sanctions expected in the coming months.

It added that the measures would target individuals and organisations, rather than nations.

It stated: “Forty-nine individuals and organisations involved in some of the most notorious human rights violations and abuses in recent years have been designated for sanctions under a powerful new regime established today by the UK, the Foreign Secretary has announced.

“From today, the ground-breaking global regime means the UK has new powers to stop those involved in serious human rights abuses and violations from entering the country, channelling money through UK banks, or profiting from our economy.”

The UK government said that it was the first time that it has sanctioned people or entities for human rights violations and abuses under a UK-only regime, and would allow the UK to work independently with allies such as the US, Canada, Australia and the European Union.

The UK’s first wave of sanctions under this new regime targeted: “25 Russian nationals involved in the mistreatment and death of auditor Sergei Magnitsky, who uncovered widespread Russian corruption by a group of Russian tax and police officials

“20 Saudi nationals involved in the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi; two high-ranking Myanmar military generals involved in the systematic and brutal violence against the Rohingya people and other ethnic minorities; two organisations involved in the forced labour, torture and murder that takes place in North Korea’s gulags.”

It added that the Magnitsky’-style sanctions underlined the UK’s position as a global force for good, while also showcasing its commitment to the rules-based international system and to standing up for victims of human rights violations and abuses around the world.

The UK Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, following his announcement in Parliament, would meet with Sergei Magnitsky’s widow and son, Natalia and Nikita, along with his friend and colleague, Bill Browder, at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Raab was quoted to have said that the regime could also include those who commit unlawful killings perpetrated against journalists and media workers, or violations and abuses motivated on the grounds of religion or belief.

Raab added that a special unit would consider the use of future sanctions, with teams across the department monitoring human rights issues.

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