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MRA tasks FG, states on protection, safety of journalists
The Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has called on federal and state governments to ensure the safety and protection of journalists and media houses during the forthcoming 2023 general elections and beyond.
MRA Director of Programmes, Mr Ayode Longe, made the call in Lagos at a news conference to commemorate International Day to end impunity for crimes against journalists.
The event was also to mark 10-year anniversary of the UN Plan of Action on the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity.
Longe listed various infractions, violations and violence against journalists including killings which were reported by MRA and others but were never punished, thereby heightening impunity.
He said the Police and other security and law enforcement agencies who should collaborate and protect journalists had also become tools in the hands of influential people to violate and intimidate them.
Longe said killings of 19 journalists from May 1999 to date were yet to be investigated for arrests or prosecution of offenders to ensure justice.
“As the 2023 General Elections draw near, we see attacks on journalists and media houses escalating and so we need to cry out early to draw attention to this forthcoming escalation of attacks and call on the Nigerian government to take proactive action so our fear will not come to pass,” he said.
He said all tiers of government should live up to their responsibility to investigate all attacks and prosecute perpetrators to restore confidence to journalists in carrying out their assignments.
He urged the Federal Government to develop and adopt robust mechanisms to protect journalists and ensure their safety and security.
“We once again call on the Federal Government to establish a specialised team of prosecutors to facilitate the effective investigation and the prosecution of perpetrators of crimes against journalists and other media workers.”
He said this would enable Nigeria to fulfil its regional and international treaty obligations to ensure the safety of journalists.
“The Federal Government should fully implement the Anti-Torture Act, 2017 and enlighten law enforcement agencies and the general public on torture and the provisions of the Act.
“The Federal Government should comply with and give effect to all judgments delivered by national, regional and international courts on freedom of expression and media freedom,” he said.
Longe urged the Federal Government to immediately repeal all laws that fell below international norms and standards on freedom of expression and media freedom.
He also called for the amendment or repeal of laws not complying with the Nigerian Constitution or international instruments by national and regional courts.
He called on Nigerians to join the campaigns for the safety of journalists to hold the government accountable and ensure that those who attacked them were brought to book.
The Commissioner of Police in Osun, Mohammed Abba, has pledged collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in tackling the menace of drug Abuse in the state.
A statement by the Police Public Relation Officer, CSP Yemisi Opalaola, on Thursday in Osogbo, said that the commissioner made the pledge while playing host to NDLEA State Commandant, Adetula Lawal.
Abba expressed his readiness to further strengthen the healthy partnership between the two agencies.
The police commissioner said that the fight against drug abuse required collective efforts.
According to him, many of those committing crimes are doing so under the influence of dangerous drugs.
Abba promised to provide the necessary support to the NDLEA in the state.
The statement quoted Lawal as commending the police commissioner’s efforts in combating crime and criminality in the state.
He reiterated the agency’s collaboration with the police, as a leading security agency to tackle the menace of drug abuse and trafficking in the state.
Financial experts have raised alarm that the implementation of the 4 per cent Free-On-Board (FOB) Levy on imports would exacerbate inflation in the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Feb. 5 announced its introduction of the FOB levy on imports.
According to Abdullahi Maiwada, the spokesman of the service, the introduction of the levy was in line with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act (NCSA) 2023.
“In line with the provisions of Section 18 (1) of NCSA 2023, the NCS is implementing a 4 per cent charge on the Free On-Board (FOB) value of imports.
“The FOB charge, which is calculated based on the value of imported goods, including the cost of goods and transportation expenses incurred up to the port of loading, is essential to driving the effective operation of the service.”
However, a former Chairman, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Ogun Chapter, Dr Wale Adegbite and Evans Osabuohien, a Professor of Economics, said that the levy would worsen the nation’s inflation rate.
In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Ota, Ogun, Adegbite and Osabuohien of the Department of Economics, Covenant University, said that the policy would negatively impact the economy.
The former MAN chairman said that the 4 per cent levy by the NCS “is a disaster and will worsen an already bad situation with multiple devastating effect on the economy.
” Why would the government inflict more hardship on the population as this new policy will certainly lead to more price increase, thus further increasing the country’s inflation rate.
“In addition, the masses will suffer more because of the impending price increase without any corresponding increase in income.”
Also, Osabuohien said that though the new FOB policy by the NCS was meant to generate more revenue for the federal government, but it would negatively impact on the economy.
He said that the NCS action would increase the cost of living of households.
The economist explained further that the development would increase the cost of operations of Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs), especially those companies that depend on imported raw materials for their production.
“This additional cost to be incurred through the 4 per cent increase in FOB would be transferred to the consumers and it would automatically trigger increase in the nation’s inflation rate,” Osabuohien said.
U.S. President Donald Trump plans to impose tariffs of 25 per cent on steel and aluminium imports into the United States, he said on Sunday.
“Any steel coming to the United States is going to have them, 25 per cent tariff,” Trump said, according to journalists travelling with the president. When questioned about tariffs on aluminium imports, Trump replied, “25 Per cent for both.”
Trump also confirmed his plan to announce further reciprocal tariffs in the coming week.
He spoke of an announcement on Tuesday or Wednesday.
“Very simply, if they charge us, we charge them, Trump told reporters, adding that the tariffs would go into effect almost immediately.”
U.S. tariffs of 10 per cent on Chinese goods took effect from Feb. 4.
The planned tariffs of 25 per cent on Mexico and Canada were suspended for an initial period of 30 days following promises from the two countries to increase border security measures.
Trump won November’s presidential election promising to slap high tariffs on foreign goods to reduce U.S. trade deficits.
He implemented a number of duties during his first term from 2017 to 2021.
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