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Ogoni Clean-Up: NYCOP Demands HYPREP Coordinator’s Sack …Want EFCC To Investigate Process

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6 years ago

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The apex Socio-Cultural youth organisation in Ogoni, National Youth Council of Ogoni (NYCOP) and its affiliate bodies have expressed dissatisfaction over the activities of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Programme (HYPREP) in the implementation of the UNEP report recommendation on the clean-up of Ogoni environment.
In a joint statement signed by the president of NYCOP, Dr Young Mkpa and leaders of other affiliate youth bodies, the Ogoni youth said the activities of HYPREP was shrouded in secrecy as every move made by Ogoni youth to seek audience with HYPREP had been turned down.
The joint statement which was also signed by Comrade Legborsi Yaamabana of Ogoni Youth Federation,Comrade Williams Probel of the Ogoni Youth Coalition Movement and Comrade Barinuazor Emmanuel, NYCOP secretary, demanded for the removal of Dr Marvin Dekil as HYPREP Coordinator.
The Ogoni youth further demanded that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) carry out investigation into the handling of the $187million in the possession of HYPREP, as well as compel HYPREP to, as a matter of urgency, make public its key performance indicators for project implementation assessment.
The statement which read in part declared that, “NYCOP demands the immediate explanation on how trainee selection were made and the publication of names of beneficiaries and their communities of origin, while due consultations should be made with NYCOP on the planned 3000 training for Ogoni youth as agreed at Abuja dialogue.”
The statement further requested all Ogoni representatives on either the Governing Council or Board of Trustees to choose between representing Ogoni interest or resign from HYPREP management, while Anyakwe Nsirimovu should explain in clear terms to the Ogoni people who made him their spokes person and also where he gathered his facts about the new Ogoni clean-up terms of reference.
The Ogoni youth demanded the immediate commencement of the Centre of Excellence and the ICSMC, as well as the release of the local site security contracts which had been delayed to ensure employment for the teeming Ogoni youths.
NYCOP also stated that it would mobilise its rank and file to embark on a grand protest in Abuja and Port Harcourt if its requests are not heeded to within seven days.

 

Taneh Beemene

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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1 day ago

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September 22, 2025

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Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.

Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.

The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.

Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.

“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.

“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”

Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.

In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.

Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.

Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.

 

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NIS Ends Decentralised Passport Production After 62 Years

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September 22, 2025

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure during an inspection of the Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, last Thursday.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
According to him, the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.
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FG To Roll Out Digital Public Infrastructure, Data Exchange, Next Year 

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1 day ago

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September 22, 2025

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platforms across key sectors of the economy, starting in early 2026.
Director of E-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Dr. Salisu Kaka, made the disclosure in Abuja during a stakeholder review session of the DPI and NGDX drafts at the Digital Public Infrastructure Live Event.
The forum, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange and e-Government Transformation,” brought together regulators, state governments, and private sector stakeholders to harmonise inputs for building inclusive, secure, and interoperable systems for governance and service delivery.
According to Kaka, Nigeria already has several foundational elements in place, including national identity systems and digital payment platforms.
What remains is the establishment of the data exchange framework, which he said would be finalised by the end of 2025.
“Before the end of this year and by next year we will be fully ready with the foundational element, and we start dropping the use cases across sectors,” Kaka explained.
He stressed that the federal government recognises the autonomy of states urging them to align with national standards.
“If the states can model and reflect what happens at the national level, then we can have a 360-degree view of the whole data exchange across the country and drive all-of-government processes,” he added.
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