Featured
Golf: eTranzact Classic Sets up Battle for Nigeria’s Number One
The second eTranzact Classic billed to tee off at IBB International Golf and Country Club holds more than a share of the N20 million purse at stake, the event may crown a new number one for the Nigeria Professional Golfing Class.
Francis Epe, the current leader of Nigeria’s professional golf ranking, is also the defending champion of the prestigious eTranzact title. He is, however, condemned to a top finish to retain his spot on the ranking log.
According to Niyi Toluwalope, Managing Director of eTranzact, “These young Nigerians are full of potential. We are proud to have created this platform for them to showcase their potential. This is our vision, that like the Super Fintech that we are, to always promote healthy and innovative competition that will drive the country forward.”
Top among contenders for Nigeria’s leader of the order of merit spot from the event include Olapade Sunday, currently ranked behind Epe, and coming from a fourth-place finish at the Cameroun Open last weekend. Others include youngster Okoko Godwin, former Nigeria number one, Kamalu Bako, Kabiru Haruna Mohammaed, Marcus Elisha, and George Inalegwu.
There are also top entries from West African countries, especially Ghana PGA players including Bary Yaw, Augustine Manasseh, and Kofi Owusu.
The 54-hole challenge runs on the platform of the Professional Golf Development (PGD) Tour, which is in its second season.
Femi Olagbenro, PDG Tour Commissioner said the eTranzact event fulfills the objective of the Tour in helping source professional golf events and keeping the abundant golf talent in the country engaged.
“This year we have staged three events on the PGD Tour, and the eTranzact is the latest. We are glad at the impact the event is making. Today the Nigeria circuit has become very dynamic because of the flair that PGD Tour has brought to the fore.”
One hundred and eighty-five professionals, category one and club amateur players have entered the event and billed for the 54-hole contest starting from Wednesday, May 15 to Friday, May 19, 2024.
The event will have a mid-way cut after 36 holes, where the top 30 in the professional category will proceed to the classification round along with club amateurs on Friday, May 17, 2024.
Featured
NAPTIP Restates Commitment To Fighting Human Trafficking
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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