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Sports Minister Host Victorious Wrestling, Rowing and Canoeing, commends Athletes, Officials

Published

5 years ago

May 1, 2019

The Gleamer

Sports Minister Host Victorious Wrestling, Rowing and Canoeing, commends Athletes, Officials

…Tips Nigerian Wrestler to Shines in Toykyo 2020

Joel Ajayi

Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung on Tuesday in Abuja hosted victorious wrestlers and officials who did Nigeria proud at the African Championship recently held in Tunisia.

Also received are the officials and athletes of triumphant canoe team who shone like a million star at the just concluded Canoe Sprint Championship held in Bhopai, India.

To this end , Minister has predicted a successful outing for Nigerian wrestlers at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

In his speech, Dalung noted that wrestling is proving to be one of the strongest sports in Nigeria adding that Nigerian wrestlers have distinguish themselves as a force to reckon with, thus giving the sport an enviable place of pride elevating the country’s image as a top wrestling Nation.

At the continental level, the Nigeria wrestling team placed first in Africa in overall African medals table during the 2015 all African Games held in Congo Brazaville.

In the same vein, the Federation dominated other African countries, particularly the women wrestling where they won the title as African champions at the 2018 African championships which Nigeria hosted for the first time. Furthermore, when Nigeria female wrestlers participated at the two-ranking series event in Germany and Bulgaria in February and March 2109 respectively, their performance was top-notch where Adeoye Adekuoroye was ranked 4th best wrestler in the World and first in Africa.

“Nigerian wrestlers have distinguished themselves as a force to reckon with, thus giving the sport an enviable place of pride and elevating the country’s image as a top wrestling nation.

“The Nigerian wrestling team placed first in Africa on the overall medals table during the 2015 Africa Games held in Congo Brazzaville. Similarly, the Federation dominated other African countries, particularly in women’s wrestling, where they emerged African Champions at the 2018 Africa Championships which Nigeria hosted for the first time. When our female wrestlers participated in the two-ranking series events in Germany and Bulgaria in February and March 2019, their performances created an avenue for our star athlete, Adekuoroye Odunayo to be ranked 4th in the world and 1st in Africa. This success, apart from writing a chapter in the annals of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation history, is an indicator of the possibility of an Olympic Medal in TokyoAlso, in canoeing at African Youth Games in Algeria in 2018, Nigeria topped the medals table for the sport of Canoeing and Kayak 4 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze medals. Nigeria also won 3 gold and 1 silver medal at the West African Rowing Regatta.

The Federation recorded impressive performances in their international competitions for instance, two home based athletes qualified for the 2018 Youth Games in Argentina where Nigeria was ranked 7th in the world.

Dalung encouraged both Federations to continue to do Nigeria proud as he promised that Federal Government will not seize in discharging its own responsibility.

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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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