News
PAP Mulls Expansion Of Cooperative Scheme To Accommodate More Groups
The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), said on Wednesday that its micro-finance project, PAP Cooperative Society Limited (PAPCOSOL), would be expanded to accommodate women groups already engaged in similar practices in running mini businesses successfully.
The Interim Administrator of PAP, Maj.-Gen. Barry Ndiomu (rtd), said this in Abuja when he received in his office, the leadership and members of the Niger Delta Women for Sustainable Development (NDWSD), a coalition of community women groups.
The cooperative society scheme was primarily designed for ex-agitators, but Ndiomu said that they were planning to incorporate into the cooperative scheme women community credit thrift schemes that thrive in the Niger Delta.
Ndiomu noted the critical role women could play in changing the socio- economic narratives of the region, if provided with the right tools and encouragement.
“We will look at the thrift or osusu scheme as you have highlighted, to see how it can be incorporated into the PAP cooperative programmes through a collaborative effort, to improve the livelihoods of the people.
“I am very happy with some of the things you mentioned, especially the idea of giving attention to women in the activities of the PAP which has always been part of our priority in contract awards.
“Our priority extends to scholarship awards for undergraduates and post graduate female students, vocational and empowerment programmes,” he said.
Ndiomu noted that there were females on the PAP pilot programme, and that with time, the cooperative scheme would be the game changer to address issues of empowerment for the people of the region.
The Interim Administrator also expressed gratitude to the women for the visit and for the words of encouragement to spur him on.
Earlier in her address, Helen Bob, who led the group, thanked Ndiomu for granting them audience.
She noted the role of women in nation building and called on relevant agencies to attach more importance in developing the capacity of women.
She also called for the provision of micro-finance loans for rural Niger Delta women through their community credit thrift cooperative society popularly known as osusu or okpu.
“This is an age long self-financing scheme among rural Niger Delta women and therefore, identifying with it will enhance financial guarantee for the rural Niger Delta woman.
“Our group is capable of organising periodic decentralised training for the women in their various communities to fully utilise the funds for their thrift cooperative societies to grow their micro-economies through petty commodity trading,” she said.
She advocated for the provision of facilities “for improved preservation techniques of seafood and farm produce, fishing and farming equipment” to reduce the stress in carrying out those activities.
“General Ndiomu is doing a good job here and he needs to be encouraged.
“It is high time people of the Niger Delta stopped being critical of their sons and daughters in positions of trust.
The ‘pull him down’ syndrome must stop,” she added. The highlight of the visit was the investiture of the Interim Administrator as the first patron of the Niger Delta Women forSustainable Development.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.