Marathon Oil meets President Mbasogo, commits to support Gas Mega Hub - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet: 

The Marathon Oil Corp, one of the biggest energy investors in Equatorial Guinea, has met with the country's president, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, committing to increase its investment in the required infrastructure to support the Government’s vision for the Gas Mega Hub, reports NaijaAgroNet.

In company of H.E. Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons, President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo met this week with Marathon Oil Chairman, President and CEO Lee Tillman and Executive Vice President Mitch Little to discuss Marathon Oil’s short and long-term future plans in the country.

Marathon Oil reiterated its commitment to Equatorial Guinea and towards the development of the country’s Gas Mega Hub, including unlocking funding to promote the delivery of gas from neighboring countries and cross-border fields to maximize existing facilities and possibly consider a second LNG train. Marathon Oil also declared support for the Ministry’s efforts to construct a modular refinery in Punta Europa by undertaking a conceptual study on the Ministry’s behalf.

“Marathon’s disciplined and consistent performance is going to ensure that Equatorial Guinea can continue to count on a partner that is tried, true and tested when it comes to running world-class gas projects. I have no doubt that under Chairman, President and CEO Lee Tillman, Marathon will continue to be a strong, resilient, and well positioned partner for the future of Equatorial Guinea,” stated H.E. Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons

Marathon Oil continues to prioritize the ongoing Alen backfill project currently under implementation with Noble Energy, Glencore, Atlas and Gunvor. Efforts are underway to accelerate gas for delivery by year end 2020, while currently scheduled for first quarter 2021. The project is an important step towards replacing declining output from the Alba field.

Furthermore, both parties agreed to immediately commence feasibility studies related to methanol to gasoline and other methanol derivatives, in coordination with the Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons. “President Obiang expects and demands of my Ministry and Marathon, today and for the foreseeable future, to work on creating an integrated set of solutions that are required — ranging from producing hydrocarbons in Equatorial Guinea efficiently to developing policies that encourage long-term investments that create jobs and opportunities for our citizens,” added H.E. Minister Obiang Lima.

Many foreign investors are planning to increase their investment in Equatorial Guinea this year, or enter the market to tap into several opportunities across the hydrocarbons and mining value chains under the Year of Investment initiative.

Details of the program are available at www.investineg.com and interested investors are encouraged to contact the Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons to discuss investment opportunities and projects.

Isaac Oyimah/Editor

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Putin reappoints Novak energy Minister - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet:

The Russian President, Vladimir Putin has reappointed Alexander Novak as the country's energy minister, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Reacting to the appointment, the African Energy Chamber welcomes the reappointment of Minister Novak who has always supported the establishment of new alliances with Africa and believes this move signals the potential for further cooperation for Russia and Africa.

“Minister Novak has ensured that African companies have a seat at the table, built partnerships and pushed President Putin’s mission to broaden and strengthen relationships with Africa,” said Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, NJ Ayuk. “The African Energy Chamber has always enjoyed a good relationship with him and the Russian energy sector and, we look forward to furthering our collaboration,” he said.

Having maintained his seat as energy minister since 2012, Novak’s reappointment is received as the Kremlin’s commitment to the continuation of the OPEC+ strategy which has already seen Russian companies benefit from bilateral cooperation with OPEC member states and boosted oil prices.

"Alexander Novak has emerged as the reliable and dependable bridge between OPEC and non-OPEC in the Declaration of Cooperation. He has earned the respect and admiration of all participating countries in the OPEC+ group," said H.E. Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, Secretary General of OPEC. Adding that, “His reappointment as Russia’s Energy Minister at this crucial juncture will further strengthen the collaboration with OPEC in our noble course to maintain oil market stability in the interest of producers, consumers and the global economy.”

Isaac Oyimah/Editor

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Pix: Novak

Sylva earns DEMS’ passmark with digitization in oil & gas - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet: 

The leadership of Digital Economy Media Support Volunteers’ (DEMS Volunteers’), an NGO tracking all development activities in the nation’s public and private sector on digital economy, has assessed activities of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva since his appointment and gave him a pass mark.

A report released weekend in Lagos on the reforms adopted so far by the ministry in the last couple of months, have shown marked departure from the way and manner the operations of the nation’s oil and gas sector had been.

The Director General of the NGO, Prince Stan Okenwa noted that “Starting from the downstream sector, the 2019 December can be rated as yuletide season in Nigeria that never experienced any form of fuel scarcity due to new ideas and digital tracking systems put in place by the ministry.”

The DG in a statement signed by the Director of Communications, Mr Peter Oluka, said “There had been steady supplies and uniform price of petroleum products especially petrol across the federation and this has continued both off and on yuletide season.

“The relentless efforts of the Minister in coordinating the planning of Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Train 7 Final Investment Decision (FID) earlier this month, remains a game changer in Nigeria’s drive to lead the continent in gas revolution.

“Further investigations made DEMS Volunteers’ revealed that various transformation processes are currently ongoing in NNPC which include but not limited to digital installations, growing from Business Unit Focus Areas (12 BUFAs), Transparency, Accountability and Performance Excellence (TAPE). We are aware that the Ministry is considering the Incorporation of NNPC and its existing Joint Venture Companies as government is currently working on the modalities.

“Still on the downstream, DEMS Volunteers’ is aware of a special consideration by the ministry to introduce two new regulators; one for the Upstream (the Commission) and another for the Midstream & Downstream (the Authority) to open enormous opportunities to local investors and consequently create massive job opportunities in the country.

“To us as an NGO, the move will deepen investments in pipeline engineering design, procurement &construction, terminal operations, pipe mills, fabrication of pressure vessels, storage facilities, pipe transportation and laying equipments, Refineries, Central Processing Facilities and also investment in Gas-based industries (Fertilizer, Methanol, Petrochemicals, LPG and CNG) etc. Besides, open access for oil and gas transportation will be fully enhanced.

“On the upstream sub-sector, DEMS Volunteers is convinced that the ministry is coming up with more robust fiscal provision, acreage management, drilling-or-drop programme, and will not only retain investors, but more players will join the leagues of high-value operators.

“We are further thrilled by the planned use of technology for pro-active leak detection in the Niger Delta to end instances of oil pollution.  

“We are also convinced on the way and manner the Ministry under Chief Timipre Sylva, is driving the Nigeria Gas Flare Commercialization Program (NGFCP).

DEMS Volunteers’ is also pleased with the tenacity with which the Technical Adviser to the Minister on Gas Business, who doubles as the Program Manager of NGFCP, Mr Justice Derefaka is driving the scheme, designed as the strategy to implement policy objective of the government for the elimination of gas flares with potentially enormous multiplier and development outcomes for Nigeria in terms of job creation and ending gas flaring.

“We are aware that the key objective of the NGFCP is to eliminate gas flaring through technically and commercially sustainable gas utilisation projects developed by competent third party investors who will be invited to participate in a competitive and transparent bid process. 

DEMS Volunteers’, however encouraged the Minister to hasten the ongoing harmonization of existing versions of PIBs so that a more reliable document would be transmitted to the waiting National Assembly for legislative surgery in the interest of the nation.

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2bn mosquito nets delivered globally since 2004

NaijaAgroNet:

The RBM Partnership to End Malaria has revealed thagt some 2 billion insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) were delivered globally since 2004, reports NaijaAgroNet.

This development and scale up of nets, RBM said were responsible for 68 per cent of the malaria cases prevented in Africa since 2000, contributing to global efforts that saved over 7 million lives and prevented another 1 billion malaria cases.

A new video highlights the global collaboration it took to boost funding, pioneer, produce, and deliver the insecticide-treated mosquito nets to millions of families around the world living at risk of malaria, a preventable disease that kills a child every 2 minutes.

The film follows the journey of one of the life-saving mosquito nets passed among representatives from the global malaria community including advocates, a scientist, global leaders and malaria-endemic country health workers to reach a family in Nampula, Mozambique, one of 5 countries with the highest burden of malaria. It also features a classroom of young women in Nyanza Province, Kenya, including Clementina Akinyi. Ms Akinyi, now in her last year of high school, grew up sleeping under insecticide-treated mosquito nets, and was photographed as a young child under a mosquito net – an image which became iconic for the fight against malaria.

According to the latest World Malaria Report, between 2010 and 2018, the number of pregnant women and children under 5 in sub-Saharan Africa who slept under an insecticide-treated net more than doubled, up from 26% to 61%. Each net is typically effective for up to 3 years and 20 washes and, on average, protects two people simultaneously.

Some key initiatives driving this progress include The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), which purchased and worked with malaria-endemic countries and partners to distribute 1.13 billion and 400 million insecticide-treated mosquito nets, respectively. Many other governments, notably the UK, and organisations, including UNICEF, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the World Bank, the UN Foundation’s Nothing But Nets initiative and Against Malaria Foundation, also made significant contributions to the 2 billion net milestone.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, World Health Organization (WHO), said “Insecticide-treated nets have saved lives, prevented suffering and brought us 2 billion steps closer to our vision of a malaria-free world. With country leadership and global partnership, they will continue to play a vital role in fulfilling that vision.”

Also, Dr Abdourahmane Diallo, CEO, RBM Partnership to End Malaria, said “The milestone of delivering 2 billion life-saving nets is a hallmark example of effective global partnership and sustained commitment over the past two decades. As we enter a new decade, we must now step up action to meet the ambitious global targets of further reducing malaria deaths and cases significantly by 2030. Political commitment and engagement from all levels of society will be crucial to ensure we reach those most vulnerable – pregnant women and children under 5 in sub-Saharan Africa – who still suffer from malaria with life-saving mosquito nets. Equally, we need to continue investing in developing, testing and scaling up nets with new insecticides and active ingredients to stay ahead of the evolving mosquito.”

Dr Marijke Winroks, Chief Staff, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and RBM Partnership to End Malaria board member noted that this is a great milestone. 

"With increased domestic and international investment, we can help close the gap and make sure everyone at risk for malaria has an insecticide-treated net – breaking the transmission cycle and helping more countries on the path to elimination,” Winroks said.

Clementina Akinyi, Kenyan schoolgirl featured in the film, explains that she does not fall sick due to her use of the nets.

“I don’t fall sick because I’m using the nets. Me and my sister are now champions for mosquito nets, and we are now advising people at school to use the nets. I advise everyone to use nets to prevent malaria, because malaria is a deadly disease.”

While current evidence suggests that nets treated with pyrethroid insecticides continue to be effective against the mosquito, resistance to pyrethroids – the only insecticide class currently used in ITNs – is widespread and highest in the WHO African Region.

To combat insecticide resistance, partners are developing, testing and scaling up nets with new insecticides and harnessing data to better target where to distribute current and new nets. Some of the new nets, which include combinations of insecticides and other active ingredients, have been approved by WHO while others are being piloted to build the epidemiological evidence needed for their public health value to inform WHO policy recommendations and to assess the cost-effectiveness of the nets under pilot conditions.

The Innovative Vector Control Consortium (IVCC) leads implementation of the pilot New Nets Project which began in 2019 in Burkina Faso and will expand in 2020 to Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria and Rwanda. The pilot project is funded by the Global Fund and Unitaid. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and U.S. Agency for International Development are providing supplementary funding. Funding for PMI in 2020 includes an additional US$15 million to invest in the use of mosquito nets treated with new types of insecticides. And, in October 2019, MedAccess and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced an agreement with a mosquito net manufacturer to accelerate the availability of 35 million new nets, which is expected to help lower prices and further increase the use of these tools.

Between 2006 and 2017, the mosquito net market increased fivefold with prices falling from approximately $4.50 to $2, greatly increasing value for money and significantly expanding net coverage from 5.5 million in 2004 to almost 200 million in 2018.

Isaac Oyimah/Editor

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Foresight Africa: Top priorities and agenda 2030 - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet:

The new year 2020 Report marked the beginning of a promising decade for Africa. Through at least the first half of the decade, economic growth across Africa will continue to outperform that of other regions, with the continent continuing to be home to seven of the world’s 10 fastest-growing economies. Collective action among African and global policymakers to improve the livelihoods of all under the blueprint of the Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 is representative of the shared energy and excitement around Africa’s potential.

With business environments improving, regional integration centered around the African Continental Free Trade Agreement progressing, and the transformational technologies of Fourth Industrial Revolution spreading, never before has the region been better primed for trade, investment, and mutually beneficial partnerships.

The recent, unprecedented interest of an increasingly diversified group of external partners for engagement with Africa highlights this potential. Despite the continent’s promise, though, obstacles to success linger, as job creation still has not caught up with the growing youth labor force, gaps in good and inclusive governance remain, and climate change as well as state fragility threaten to reverse the hard-fought-for gains of recent decades.

This special edition of Foresight Africa highlights the triumphs of past years as well as strategies from our experts to tackle forthcoming, but surmountable, obstacles to a prosperous continent by 2030.

Read more:

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GBV elimination: Centre LSD commences project on male engagement - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet:

Concerned over the lack of male engagement in reducing Gender-Based Violence (GBV), the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), has kicked-off the implementation of a male engagement project on Sexual, Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), as well as Harmful Traditional Practices in Nigeria, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The programme, NaijaAgroNet gathered is an initiative of the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN) under the Spotlight Initiative, envisioned a Nigeria where all women and girls, particularly the most vulnerable, live a life free from violence and harmful practices, by addressing the linkages between sexual and gender-based violence and harmful practices with related aspects of sexual and reproductive health and rights as a cross-cutting theme.

The project lead, Mr. Vincent Dania, Centre LSD, told NaijaAgroNet the focus will be on prevention efforts particularly addressing the root causes of gender-based violence and harmful practices (child marriage and Female Genital Mutilation) against women and girls; and ensuring access to inclusive, timely, and quality services for victims and survivors with a vibrant CSOs and women movement.

“The Centre will work with other implementing partners to achieve the goal of the Spotlight Initiative in Nigeria,” he said.

The Centre’s role in the project, he said, would include “Mobilizing men and setting up platforms of men against Sexual & Gender-Based Violence at the community level; strengthening the capacities of identified traditional, religious leaders and media.  It will also identify and train male advocates and champions at different levels (community, state and national) to continuously speak up against Violence Against Women & Girls (VAWG); engaging male opinion leaders to secure support for VAWG, gender equality and the empowerment of women; and train women and girls’ rights defenders in relevant skills to better engage with religious leaders to end VAWG and HP.”

Further, NaijaAgroNet gathered the Centre LSD will be implementing the project in two states, namely Lagos and Cross River.

Isaac Oyimah/Editor

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Ekiti first lady seeks state of emergency on sexual violence - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet: 

The government of Ekiti State has been urged to declare a state of emergency on sexual violence in the country, reports NaijaAgroNet.

This call was made by the first lady of Ekiti State, Erelu Bisi Fayemi saying that such declaration would bring about the political will to fight the scourge adding states that had passed the law on Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act would be able to implement the law to the fullest.

The Wife of the Governor who stated this in her keynote address at the 20th anniversary of Project Alert on Violence Against Women in Lagos, on Friday, the passage of the VAPP law will lend support to the array of women organizations that work in very remote hard- to -reach areas.

“It has taken a long time but we have some laws in place. We have the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, and out of the 36 States of Nigeria, only 11 States have domesticated this law. Even for those who have domesticated the law, there is an issue of resources. We are talking about financial resources, human resources, materials resources, as well as technical resources.

“We do need resources to push these issues through but we need the political will to drive the allocation of those resources. I will like to lend my voice to the voice of all the feminist organizations, human rights and civil society organizations in the country, calling for more attention to what has now become a national pandemic of gender-based violence, particularly sexual violence.

“In my own opinion, I believe we need the State of Emergency in Nigeria on sexual violence in particular. I think we need to call for more political will and that will hopefully drive things such as ensuring that those States who have passed the VAPP Act can implement it to the fullest, at least try their best.

“I will like to call for political will, I will like to call for resources and I will like to also call for a lot more partnerships and information sharing.

The Ekiti First Lady charged the participating organisations to focus their effort more on community engagement.

“I am based in Ekiti, which is a predominantly rural state, and so it’s not a State where everyone can have access to information via what’s happening on TV, Radio and so on.

“And so there are certain gatekeepers that we need to engage, who still hold deeply conservative views. A lot of religious leaders, traditional rulers, we have female chiefs, we have a whole array of people. We need to do a lot more work there. Because if communities don’t own response to gender-based violence, God forbid that sexual violence then become normalize.”

A major highlight of the event was the inter-generational dialogue on Gender –based violence. The Ekiti State First Lady was also honoured with the Excellence Award in Women's Rights Activism by Project Alert.

Uj. N. Dominic/Editor

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UK court rejects Ogoni suit judgment against Shell - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet:

A United Kingdom-based court has dismissed the application by some leaders of Ejamah Ebubu community in Ogoniland to register the judgement of a Nigerian Federal High Court in the country for enforcement, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Claimants had applied to register the judgement to enforce a N183 billion judgment sum, which was the judgement sum and the interest over the spill incident in the community in or about 1969, a spill Shell Petroleum Development Company said arose from third party activities during the Nigerian civil war.

The company also said the spill site had since been remediated.
The claimants recalculated the High Court judgement of N17 billion plus interest to be N183 billion as at January 2019, but admitted to the UK court that the sum was overstated.

The claimants also obtained an order of a Nigerian court to seize and sell the assets of SPDC to satisfy the said judgment, while the matter is still the subject of several proceedings, including pending appeals at the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

In the judgement, on Thursday, a copy of which was obtained by NaijaAgroNet, the UK court declined the request for registration of the Nigerian court judgment after finding that SPDC suffered a serious breach of natural justice “through being prevented from presenting its defence to the claim” in Nigeria.

The court also the claimants overstated the judgement sum.
Reacting to the ruling, spokesperson for Shell Nigeria, Bamidele Odugbesan, said: “This spill was caused by third parties during the Nigerian Civil War, a challenging period which resulted in significant damage to oil and gas infrastructure in the region. While SPDC does not accept responsibility for these spills, the affected sites in the Ebubu community were fully remediated.

“We are pleased that the English court has rejected the registration of this judgement for enforcement in the UK. This matter is still the subject of several proceedings in the Nigerian Courts, including pending appeals at the Supreme Court of Nigeria, and it remains our position that no payment is due. It is regrettable that the legal process in this case has focused for so long on procedural issues and not the merits of the case when we have always maintained that we are ready to defend this case based on the available facts.”

Isaac Oyimah/Editor

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Ekiti to dredge waterways - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet: 

The Ekiti State government has assured it would soon begin work on waterways in the State, reports ITREALMS.

The State Commissioner for Information, Tourism and Values Orientation, Aare Muyiwa Olumilua, made this known in Ado -Ekiti on Monday while briefing journalists on the outcome of the last State Executive Council meeting.

The Commissioner said the Council approved #290,941,856.36 for Lot 1 and #321,055,946.70 for Lot 2 of the State Secretariat complex; adding that the projects are expected to be completed within six months.

Olumilua disclosed that the Council equally approved earth dredging of Osun stream channel, construction of concrete channel at Temidire/ Ifedore street, and the reconstruction of a failed culvert at Ajolagun in Ikere Ekiti at a sum of #140,088,688.25.

He added that a sum of #194,530,627.27 was approved for the earth dredging of critical areas in Ado Ekiti. These areas include Onala – Balemo –Elemi; Ita Eku – Poly road –Emirin; Omisanjana –Ureje – 133KVA; Awajin –Ureje road and Ireakari- Ilawe road covering a distance of 18,500 metres and will be completed within 12 weeks. The dredging works are aimed at arresting the incessant flooding of the areas.

According to Olumilua, the State Executive Council also approved the following Ekiti State Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Bill 2019; which seeks a better outlaw any form of discrimination against persons living with disabilities in the state.

Another major decision of the meeting was the approval for the procurement and distribution of 10,000 bags of customized Safe Delivery kits (aka Mama Kits) across the 16 LGAs in Ekiti State. This is to ensure that pregnant women are well equipped with necessary health care materials for safe delivery. The project will cost the state government a total #54,200,000.00, as approved by the council.

Olumilua who was flanked by the Commissioners in charge of Works and Environment ministries, Mr Sola Adebayo and Hon Gbenga Agbeyo and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Yinka Oyebode, at the briefing said the Dr Kayode Fayemi-led government was doing everything possible to put smiles on the faces of the people of the state, through effective implementation of the administration’s five- pillar agenda for developmental.

Isaac Oyimah/Editor

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NDLEA joins ‘Enhanced FOI Hall of Shame’ - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet:

The Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has inducted the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) into its “Enhanced Freedom of Information (FOI) Hall of Shame”, saying its attitude towards the FOI Act smacked of arrogance and lawlessness as it has consistently refused to comply with the Act, reports NaijaAgroNet.

MRA told NaijaAgroNet through the Programme Director, Mr. Ayode Longe, that it would take legal action against the agency to compel it to comply with its obligations under the Act.

“It is really quite surprising that the NDLEA, an agency established by Law and given specific responsibilities and powers by the same Act of Parliament, would deliberately decide to disregard another Law validly made by the National Assembly, without recognizing that in so doing, it is in fact depriving itself of the moral right and authority to enforce its own enabling law,” he said.

The NDLEAis tasked with coordinating all drug laws and enforcement functions conferred on any person or authority, including Ministers in the Government of the Federation; enhancing the effectiveness of law enforcement to suppress illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances; strengthening and enhancing effective legal means for international cooperation in criminal matters for suppressing the international activities of illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances; and strengthening co-operation with the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, the police force, customs agencies, immigration agencies, welfare officials, health officials and other law enforcement agencies in the eradication of illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

Noting that these are enormous responsibilities placed on the agency by the same type of instrument that is the foundation of the FOI Act, Mr. Longe contended that by treating the Act with disdain and refusing to implement it, the NDLEA was in effect contesting the authority of the Federal Government, including the National Assembly and the President, to make such a Law in total ignorance of the fact that is own existence and legitimacy is dependent on upholding and vindicating the authority of the Government.

He outlined the failings of the agency regarding the implementation of the FOI Act, observing that in total disregard of the mandatory provisions of section 29 of the Act, the agency had neglected to submit to the Attorney-General of the Federation, seven annual reports on its implementation of the Act and make the reports available to the public by different means, as required by the Act.

According to Mr. Longe, between 2011 and 2019, the NDLEA has submitted only one report to the Attorney-General of the Federation for the year 2012, out of the eight reports that it ought to have submitted as at February 1, 2019.

Besides, he said, although Section 13 of the Act requires every public institution to which it applies to ensure the provision of appropriate training for its officials on the public’s right of access to information and records held by it for the effective implementation of the Act, the NDLEA has, for all the eight years that the Act has been in existence failed to comply with this provision.

Mr. Longe noted that that there is no information on the NDLEA’s website or anywhere else about whom has designated as its FOI Desk Officer, as required by the FOI Act while the list of FOI Desk Officers and their contact details for various federal public institutions, compiled by the Attorney General of the Federation, also does not include any official from the NDLEA.

He said the NDLEA had failed to designate such an FOI Desk Officer despite repeated requests and reminders from the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation to all public institutions for them to appoint such officials and send their names and contact details to the office.

Mr. Longe explained that there are 16 types of information that section 2(3)(a-f) and (4) of the FOI Act requires every public institution to publish proactively and disseminate widely even without anyone applying for such information. But he said the NDLEA has only published one of these categories of information on its website, leaving 15 others unpublished.

According to him, the only class of records that the NDLEA has proactively published is the descriptions of the agency and its responsibilities, including details of the programmes and functions of each of its directorates as well as the addresses of its commands in the 36 states of the federation.

Mr. Longe stressed that the NDLEA had failed to publish a list of all classes of records under its control;a list of manuals used by its employees; documents containing its substantive rules;a list of materials containing information relating to any grant or contract made by or between the NDLEA and any other public institution or private organization; documents containing information relating to its receipt or expenditure of funds, which are among the categories of information that the FOI requires all public institutions, including the NDLEA, to proactively publish and disseminate widely.

He recalled that on October 2, 2018, the same NDLEA was inducted into MRA’s FOI Hall of Shame for these acts of non-compliance with the FOI Act, noting that the agency had nonetheless made no effort to correct these lapses or take necessary steps to enable it comply with its obligations under the Law.

Isaac Oyimah/editor

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