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2024 Easter celebrations: Wike urges FCT residents to reflect on the significance of the occasion

Published

4 months ago

March 30, 2024

Ministers of the Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has urged resident of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) to reflect of the significance of the Easter celebration.

He also urged them to take time out to reach out to those in need, offer helping hands to the less privileged while also spreading kindness and goodwill whenever they go.

Wike disclosed this in his Easter greetings to all residents, and Christians in particular in the Territory.

The message read this; “On behalf of the FCT Administration, I extend my sincere felicitations to all residents of the Federal Capital Territory, especially the Christian faithful on this joyous occasion of Easter, which is a profound celebration of faith, sacrifice, and hope renewed

In the story of Easter, we find the ultimate symbol of sacrifice in the selfless act of Jesus Christ, who laid down his life for the redemption of humanity.

Therefore, as we gather with our loved ones to commemorate this sacred occasion, let us pause to reflect on the significance of the celebration as a time for reaffirming our commitment to the values of compassion, forgiveness, and empathy.

Let us therefore reach out to those in need, to offer a helping hand to the less fortunate, and spread kindness and goodwill wherever we go.

In the Federal Capital Territory, we are blessed with a diverse and vibrant community that embodies the spirit of unity in diversity. Regardless of our differences in culture, religion, or background, we are bound together by the shared values of tolerance and respect for each other.

This Easter, let us therefore celebrate our diversity as a source of strength and let us reaffirm our commitment to building a more inclusive and harmonious society for all.

Permit me also to express my sincere gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to the progress and development of our nation.

Under his guidance, we have embarked on a journey of transformation, driven by a renewed sense of hope and optimism. As residents of the FCT, let us keep faith with President Tinubu and his administration, and let us actively contribute to the realization of his vision for a better Nigeria.

On our part, the FCT Administration remains deeply committed to ensuring the welfare and well-being of all residents. We are working tirelessly to address the various challenges facing the Territory, from security to infrastructure development and education as well as healthcare provision.

Many of our interventions as many will attest to, are already yielding the desired results. However, I recognize that true progress can only be achieved through collective effort and collaboration.

I therefore call upon every one of you to join hands with the government in our quest for progress and development. Let us work together to build a brighter future for ourselves and for generations to come.

As we celebrate Easter with our families and loved ones, let us remember the true essence of this joyous occasion and embody the spirit of sacrifice, compassion, and renewal in all that we do.
Let us also celebrate responsibly and obey all extant rules and regulations, especially on environmental sanitation and traffic while also being security conscious.

Once again, I wish you all a joyous and memorable celebration,” he concluded.

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Featured

NAPTIP Restates Commitment To Fighting Human Trafficking

Published

2 days ago

July 25, 2024

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

… decries corruption in law enforcement, weak legislation

The Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, has pledged the agency’s commitment to fight human trafficking.

Waziri-Azi gave the assurance during an anti-corruption radio program, PUBLIC CONSCIENCE, produced by the Progressive Impact Organization for Community Development, PRIMORG, in Abuja.

The commitment by NAPTIP follows an investigative report by Human Angle Media exposing how many Nigerians trafficked to Egypt are inhumanely treated and exploited by their sponsors.

Represented by the agency’s Director of Public Enlightenment, Mrs. Kehinde Akomolafe, decried the rising number of Nigerians who are victims of trafficking, pledging that “NAPTIP is fighting on all sides to curb human trafficking.”

Akomolafe disclosed that the agency is aware of the report of Nigerians trafficked to Egypt and has already commenced interventions to rescue them while warning citizens to be wary of “offers that are too good to be true.”

She identified weak legislation, lengthy judicial processes, and corrupt law enforcement officials as factors aiding and abetting trafficking in Nigeria and elsewhere in the world.

“Corruption is endemic and cuts across other countries of the world, and that’s why trafficking is easily perpetrated in Nigeria and around the globe. You find law enforcement officials aiding and abetting traffickers. Some of them know these traffickers from their operations either at the entry or exit point. They give them something or become too familiar with them.

“Apart from the bribery aspect, we also have officials turning a blind eye to trafficking activities, and that’s why for us at the agency (NAPTIP), we are not resting.”

According to her, the agency, from inception, secured 672 convictions, 67 in 2023, and 35 persons so far this year (2024). She added that “NAPTIP is winning the war against trafficking but still wants stiffer punishment for traffickers and the support of the judiciary in hastening cases.

“weak legislation is aiding trafficking. That’s why the agency continues pushing for amendments. Currently, NAPTIP is pushing for stiffer punishment against traffickers that will lead to confiscation of their monies and property.

“NAPTIP Director-General (Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi) is fighting on all sides against human trafficking.

“Where law enforcement officials are found complicit, NAPTIP Director-General does not take it lightly; she doesn’t compromise her anti-corruption stance even when a staff is involved,” Akomolafe stated.

According to the Editor of Southern Operations, Human Angle Media, Kabir Adejumo, many Nigerians trafficked to Egypt engage in forced labour. They are also living in fear as authorities go after illegal immigrants.

Adejumo said victims interviewed during the investigation are willing and interested in returning home, but their sponsors refuse to release their travel passports and threaten to implicate them.

He also revealed that the NAPTIP and Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) are aware of the plight of Nigerians trafficked in Egypt and have currently rescued one person.

On her part, the Programme Manager of the Human Angle Foundation, Angela Umoro-David, expressed satisfaction at NAPTIP’s response to trafficking cases while urging the agency to stay on course with their mandate.

Umoro-David called on Nigerians to use a Freedom of Information platform (foi.humananglemedia.com) to help citizens navigate requests for public records from different government parastatals and agencies.

She stressed that the platform “is a website where people can submit their FOI requests to us (Human Angle), and we’ll submit it on their behalf to the particular agency. So we act as middlemen, connecting these government parastatals to the citizens”.

Public Conscience is a syndicated weekly anti-corruption radio program PRIMORG uses to draw government and citizens’ attention to corruption and integrity issues in Nigeria.

The program has the support of the MacArthur Foundation

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