RIGHTS ACTIVIST BERATES OBASANJO’S POLICIES

Radical lawyer and forthright human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi
has decried the leadership style of President Olusegun Obasanjo. Fawehinmi
who is nursing presidential ambitions against 2003 elections has opposed
strongly the president’s stance on fuel price deregulation, stressing that
he was rather loyal to foreigners than Nigerians. Fuel price deregulation is
believed to be on the prompting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Chief Fawehinmi also criticised Obasanjo’s frequent travelling abroad, and
advised that the president should realise his journeys are at the expense of
the people. The president is noted to have travelled 56 times since coming
into office in 1999.

Chief Fawehinmi has touched on major issues bothering the majority of
Nigerians. President Obasanjo has been urged to cut short his globetrotting
and stop presiding over the affairs of the country from outside but it seems
the president is not prepared to do this. He has almost made the foreign
minister redundant and really it is doubtful if he is acquainted with what
Nigerians want and need. If he did, he would not be insistent on
deregulating the price of petroleum products. It appears that the president
and his colleagues do not have the interest of the country at heart. Every
step, the government is embarking on points at one thing – poverty and
austerity in harsher measures for Nigerians.

GROUP ADVOCATES BAN OF OLD POLITICIANS

An Islamic group in the country has called for the ban of old politicians,
including present active ones from participating in politics. The group said
that the dubious character of the politicians was enough reason to excuse
them from government. Especially, the use of public office to loot funds and
amass wealth for themselves were noted by the group.

That the Obasnjo government is decked with sycophants and cronies is not a
farce. The present administration, despite calls and opinions from well
meaning Nigerians has gone ahead to fix into key positions, people who are
neither popular with democracy nor the public. It is a shame to think that
some of the members of the president’s cabinet were those who served under
military dictatorships. They did not only serve but as well nominated the
late Gen. Sani Abacha as sole presidential aspirant to continue to keep
Nigerians under bondage. That era having passed, it would have been expected
that the present administration would shun such people in government and
give credit-worthy Nigerians a chance at making policies and controlling key
positions in government. Albeit technocrats and people who could really make
a difference have been pushed to the background.

AKURE RESIDENTS LOSE HOMES TO FLOOD

From Akure in Ondo State come reports that hundreds of people have been
rendered homeless by the flooding of the Ala River in the state capital. The
flood displaced residents in five communities.

DISCOVERY learnt that the situation could have been avoided if the state
government had acted when it was informed of an impending flood occasioned
by the Ala River. The displaced people were at the Ondo State Government
House to protest the government’ negligence and indifference before and
after the incidence.

The damage has been done but governor Adebayo Adefarati should realise that
he must pay for his non-chalant attitude to the people he is governing.
Having not been able to live up to the expectations of the people, he should
not add to it as he has done by depriving them shelter. A government that
can afford to shun its people in the period of dire need and such
consequential circumstance is not fit to be the custodian of the people.

GOVT. SCRAPS PAP TO INTRODUCE YES

The federal government gave indications last week of cancelling the Poverty
Alleviation Programme (PAP) and replacing it with another, Youth Empowerment
Scheme (YES). The scrapping of PAP is borne out of inadequate fund to
support it. Unemployed youths were supposed to be earning N3, 500 monthly
from PAP. Though PAP did not record success with members of the public due
to its being hijacked by government officials and their cronies, a
development which saw the monthly N3, 500 for unemployed youths being
appropriated by greedy officials. Still under PAP, the federal government
could not effect the payment of N7,500 monthly allowance for graduates
serving in the National Youth Service Corps.

With such background, it is doubtful if government will be able to hold the
fort for YES. If there are no funds to finance PAP, where will the funding
for YES come from? Besides, the federal government knows money will be
involved at the launching of its intended YES. Rather than waste public fund
launching a scheme that will neither see the light of day nor benefit
Nigerians, government had better reconsider its plans.

ELEME YOUTHS SPOIL FOR WAR WITH JULIUS BERGER AS SECURITY AGENTS SHOT INTO
FARMERS

Youths from the Eleme Community in Eleme Local Government Council of Rivers
State are spoiling to disrupt the activities of Julius Berger, a German
multinational construction company handling the construction of railway
lines that run across the community.

The youths are protesting against their non-inclusion in the company’s
workforce as provided in the federal government guidelines that employment
opportunities into the grade levels 1-6 should be allotted to the host
communities of the projects.

DISCOVERY source said that instead of abiding by the federal government’s
order, Julius Berger opted to hire the services of army and Mobile Policemen
(MOPOL) to harass the indigenes of the communities.

The security personnel who were paid N50, 000 by Julius Berger were
allegedly accused to have shot into some women who were going to farm where
the pipelines project ran across. Julius Berger was also allegedly indicted
of refusing to recognise and work with community liaison officers elected by
the community.

It can be recalled that railway project which would run across Onne, Alode,
Alesa and Aleto communities in Eleme Local Government was commissioned by
the Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar administration in 1999.

While the youths are protesting for Julius Berger’s refusal to employ them,
the company was also accused of not coming up with the Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) of the project.

Thought the railway line was geared towards bringing development to the
community, it must not be done at the expense of the community whose
economic, social and cultural rights are being violated with impunity.

In the same vein, traditional rulers in the area were crying that Julius
Berger did not consult them before embarking on the project. DISCOVERY
learnt that royal fathers were strongly behind the youths in their action to
seek redress to the perceived neglect.

It can also be recalled that on April 11, 2000 one Ogoni youth was shot to
death when youths in the area went to challenge the construction of roads in
the area, after perceived neglect and abandonment.

We call on all civil society organisations in the country to pressurise the
federal and Rivers State governments to take precautionary measures before
the Eleme issue escalates.

March 20, 2001

EPCL WORKERS PROTEST AGAINST INHUMAN TREATMENTS

Over 462 contract workers of Eleme Petrochemicals Limited (EPCL) Rivers
State have down tool in protest of their total neglect by management of the
company and the Nigerian government.

Inherited from Choda, JJC, Kobe and Spil Bite, the companies that built
EPCL, the workers were promised by the management of EPCL of being converted
to permanent staff after putting six months.

"We have been working with EPCL from 1995 to 2001 as casual workers without
being converted to permanent staff", one of them told DISCOVERY.

They argued that while EPCL place cranes machines on two months routine
services, they themselves are being subjected to subhuman treatments such as
no leave, no adequate medical attention, no allowances and substandard
salaries.

The workers allegedly claimed that in spite of carrying out the company’s
major jobs, they were paid meagre salaries while their counterparts who sit
in air conditioned offices doing nothing receive fat salaries.

Contrary to the provision of the Nigerian Labour Law that states that
employers of Labour should either confirm or dismiss their employees after
three months probation, there have been recorded cases of employees being
sacked after working for a company for over 30 years as casual workers. Many
of them end up without terminal benefits and allowances and each time they
embark on peaceful demonstration in protest of perceived ill treatment, the
companies invite security agents. So many workers have lost their lives
through these constant confrontations with security agents.

FUEL SCARCITY: FOUR DIE IN FUEL FIRE

Four people were burnt to death in a house at Umo Orok area of Calabar in
Cross River State, last week. The four were victims of a fire outbreak
precipitated by storage of fuel in the house. One of the deceased was said
to have always stored jerrycans of fuel in his room despite warnings by
neighbours. How the fire started has not been ascertained but it is believed
that a match must have been lit near the stored fuel to have caused an
inferno.

Earlier in the month, similar incidents had occurred. In one of such
incidence, a man and his family were burnt to death. In another development,
a cyclist carrying a passenger with a jerrycan of fuel was burnt to death.
The motorbike had collided with another vehicle and caught fire as a result
of the jerrycan of fuel. The passenger escaped the inferno.

This pathetic situation nonetheless paints the picture of what the Nigerian
government has done to its citizens. The persistent fuel scarcity in the
country has made motorists and black marketers turn their residents or
workshops into filling stations of sort. In order to spend less time at
filling stations, some motorists buy in jerrycans (though illegal) and fill
their vehicles as well. Fuel in jerrycans are kept in their residence for
‘safe keeping’. And there are those who after buying into their vehicles
still drive home to empty it into jerrycans so that fuel thieves won’t help
themselves to it. The consequence has been devastating. All this is
happening because there is a government that does not care to know the
plight of the citizens. Rather than see to the availability of fuel,
government is compounding the problem by insisting on fuel price
deregulation. Observers are strongly suspicious of government’s insistence
on deregulation and the continued scarcity of fuel. Some think the federal
government is the brain behind the scarcity and not perceived saboteurs.
Government, they have posited, is maintaining the scarcity so that it can
justify its reason for fuel price deregulation.

RAINSTORM RENDERS OVER 100 HOMELESS

A rainstorm at Ogbolo-Isiokpo in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers
State destroyed about 60 buildings in the village, leaving more than hundred
people homeless, last week. Described as the worst in the history of the
community, the storm destroyed farmlands, including economic trees and food
crops.

DISCOVERY learnt that the Rivers State Government has donated N2.5 million
to help the rehabilitation of the victims.

STRICTER PUNISHMENT FOR VIOLATORS OF WOMEN’S RIGHTS ADVOCATED

The National Coalition on Violence Against Women (NCVAW), a Non-Governmental
Organisation is in the vanguard for seeking stricter measures for violators
of women’s rights in the country. The organisation has maintained that some
sentences for such violators are not commensurate with their offence. It
noted the two-year jail term for convicts of such attacks as rape and acid
bath, positing that it was "ridiculous". According to the organisation,
debasing treatments of women like rape, genital mutilation, battering and
acid attacks require very strict and specific laws.

Meanwhile, state Houses of Assembly are receiving proposals to enact laws
that will stop obnoxious traditional practices against women. Last year, the
Bayelsa State House of Assembly passed a bill outlawing female genital
mutilation. Earlier this month, the Enugu State House of Assembly passed a
bill outlawing the practice of making women undergo harmful traditional
rites. And in a separate development, the Ebonyi State House of Assembly
gave indication that it would soon do same.

While civil society groups are looking out for more bills in this regard, it
is but pertinent to dwell on the campaign of NCVAW. Many women or wife
batterers have escaped the arm of the law. Recently, a man, Mr. Emeka Ani,
killed his wife in the course of severe beating and assault. Though
apprehended by the police, information reaching DISCOVERY is that he may
stop the course of justice by buying his freedom and escaping out of the
country. Unfortunately, much has not been heard about Mr. Ani. Civil society
groups cannot afford to let him get away even if the police or government
can.

MARCH 21, 2001

FG PROMISE PROMPT PAYMENT OF SALARIES

T he federal government has promised civil servants in the country prompt
payment of their salaries, taking effect from this month. Government, making
the announcement on Monday 19th, March 2001 stressed that officials in the
ministries or parastatals caught trying to stifle the federal government’s
objective would be dealt with. The federal government said it has asked the
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to confer with other financial institutions
involved in the payment of salaries of civil servants in the country to
address the causes of delay in payment of the salaries. Though on its own,
it has partly attributed the delay to the staff audit exercise aimed at
fishing out ghost workers.

It is certain that the federal government would not have acted had civil
servants not conducted rounds of protests and strikes because of their
delayed salaries. Civil servants in the country, especially those on the
lower grade levels, have more often than not, remained unpaid for as long as
3 months. The situation, sometimes being caused by senior officials who
hijack the salaries and sometimes force junior workers to sign pay vouchers
without receiving their salaries. In the same vein, public office holders
continue to receive their salaries with fringe benefits regularly and
without delay while their colleagues in lower positions remain unpaid.

Having announced its good intentions, the federal government should keep to
its promises. Federal government should recall that the N7, 500 monthly
allowance promised graduates serving in the National Youth Service Corps is
yet to be implemented 3 months into when the promise was made.

LABOUR ACCUSE STATE GOVT. OF VICTIMISATION

In Lagos State, the Council of Industrial Unions (COIU) has accused the
state government of victimising workers because of their stance on the new
minimum wage. The allegation came on the heels of the retrenchment exercise
currently going on in the state’s civil service. The crux of the matter is
that people who are not up to retirement age are getting sack letters,
workers between ages 35 and 50 and who are still in their productive years.
The union identified two of such workers who were active during the protest
for the implementation of the new minimum wage. However, the union, which
sensed some foul play, absolved governor Ahmed Tinubu from the issue on
grounds that he had personally assured the union that only retirable people
would be affected in the retrenchment exercise. This notwithstanding, there
is cause for alarm. There were reports that the Lagos State government
slated about 10, 000 workers for retrenchment. Though the government has
debunked this, the economic and social effects of the exercise need to be
considered. Retrenching workers means making an alternative means of income
readily available for them. Having placed retrenched workers automatically
on the pensions list, the government need understand that funding for the
pension should not be delayed, else it would mean placing those retiredones
from a bad situation to a worse one.

LAWYERS MAKE CASE FOR PUBLIC OFFICE HOLDERS

In Ogun State, lawyers have joined the band wagon advocating for a new and
healthy lease of life for the people in the state. the Ijebu-Ode branch of
the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) last week lashed out at the Local Council
Chairmen in the state for their perceived negligence of duty. Particularly,
the NBA noted the deplorable condition of roads in the state and wondered
why it was so when there were elected council chairmen.

The situation in Ogun State is a picture of what is obtained in other parts
of the country. Office holders have continued to advertise their
achievements even when there is really nothing to show for it. Local
government chairmen and their state governor counterparts have been telling
the world a lot of lies.

A NEED TO CAUTION MASSOB

Reports reaching DISCOVERY from Imo State say that the activities of members
of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra
(MASSOB) are growing to an alarming rate. DISCOVERY gathered that MASSOB, in
its wake of trying to enforce normalcy in the prices of petroleum products
in the state, has been harassing residents, carrying out unlawful arrests
and demanding bail fees before releasing those arrested and torturing people
held captive. Oil marketers who are the main targets of MASSOB were on a
protest march at the Imo State Police Command recently to report MASSOB to
the authorities and seek for protection against threats to their lives and
freedom. they claimed that about 10 of them who were arrested and detained
by the militant group for selling fuel above the pump price were made to pay
between N20, 000 and N30, 000 bail fee before being released. In another
development, MASSOB members invaded a filling station, attacked the
attendant on duty and helped themselves to the money for the sales of the
day. Only the timely intervention of motorists who were on queue to buy fuel
saved the situation as they angrily accosted the MASSOB members on their
behaviour.

Whether or not the people involved in these actions are MASSOB members
notwithstanding, there could be nothing wrong with trying to sanitise a
dwindling economic situation but there is something wrong when there is no
legal backing of such actions. It would be recalled that earlier this year,
the Imo State Police Command had apprehended some members of MASSOB on
alleged harassment of residents and disturbance of public peace. From the
reports, it is obvious that MASSOB is going against the law - extorting
money from people, harassing and torturing innocent citizens - actions that
are far from crusaders of human rights and advocates of fair play and
justice.

despite the ban by the federal government on such militant groups as MASSOB,
it is appalling to find that the federal government itself is helpless as to
helping the situation. But government has to do something this, especially
ensuring the safety of citizens and solving the economic problems, such as
the fuel scarcity, which are giving some undesirable elements the basis for
sprouting up.

MARCH 22,2001

NDDC GETS TROUBLE SIGNAL

The controversial Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) may be
confirming the misgivings some observers and civil society groups in the
Niger Delta region had of its necessity to the region. More than 7 months
after being endorsed by the National House of Assembly, the NDDC is yet to
be active. Funding has turned out now to be a handicap. Managing Director of
the commission, Mr. Godwin Omene said in Warri recently that the
multinational oil companies in the Niger Delta states have failed to release
their share of funding to the commission. The federal government, which
spearheaded the commission has also not released funds. And the NDDC which
is meant to address the problems of the Niger Delta people, especially oil
producing communities, cannot act.

For all civil society groups and concerned Niger Deltans know, the NDDC is a
replica of the defunct Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission
(OMPADEC) which was manned by cronies of the government of the day. OMPADEC
achieved nothing for the Niger Delta people and it is doubtful if the NDDC
would going by its poor start.

Yet again, oil companies operating in the region have showed their
indifference to the plight of their host communities by failing, after 3
months of the inauguration of the commission, to contribute to its funding
as earlier agreed.

Government on its part should be drawn to this development. President
Olusegun Obasanjo who initiated the NDDC Bill against oppositions from the
House of Assembly and critics ought to justify his reason for setting up the
commission. The Niger Delta people are not prepared to tolerate another
‘white elephant’ project.

Meanwhile, arrangements have been concluded for NDDC to move from the former
OMPADEC office in Port Harcourt to an eight-storey building erected by the
late Gen. Sani Abacha. The land on which the building was built was
forcefully appropriated by the late head of state. A Port Harcourt High
Court had ruled, in a suit on the land, in favour of the owner, Dr. Eke
Spiff. Dr. Spiff sold the building to the Rivers State Government to the sum
of N200, 000, 000.00 (two hundred million naira).

NIGERIANS JOIN PROTEST AGAINST DEREGULATION

As the federal government of Nigeria reinstates its resolve to increase
prices of petroleum products, the Nigerian populace have made themselves
battle ready to oppose the actualisation of the plan. For a period of eight
days (having begun on Tuesday 20th March, 2001), Nigerian masses will join
civil unions in the country on a nation-wide programmed protest of President
Obasanjo’s coined ‘deregulation’ of the petroleum sector. Having slated two
national rallies for Lagos, former capital of the country and Abuja, the
current capital, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) held the first protest
rally yesterday Wednesday 21 in Lagos. The protest rallies are peaceful and
the NLC which is co-ordinating other unions like the NANS and ASUU (both
academic) has instructed the state branches to be wary of any form of
violence in their rallies.

The protest rallies of the NLC and other unions have been borne out of the
federal government’s refusal to reason through dialogue and threats with and
from the bodies, including Nigerians. The Nigerian government has failed in
this test of the spirit of democracy. The fact that the majority of
Nigerians are against the increase in prices of petroleum products has not
been enough reason for the federal government to stop its plan. It has
forgotten too soon that the voice of the majority always counts in
democracy. Rather, President Obasanjo and his Information Minister, Prof.
Jerry Gana and other of his sycophants are choosing to shun the voice of
Nigerians to please themselves, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and
the World Bank. The federal government has insisted that Nigerians are being
‘pampered’ in their own homeland! The loans Obasanjo wants from these world
financial bodies - are they for the good of Nigerians or for the self
aggrandisement of himself and his political class?

ANOTHER COLD-HEARTED PRESIDENT

Last week, the 14th and 15th of March, 2001 President Olusegun Obasanjo was
in Bayelsa State, incidentally where Odi community, the 1999 devastated
village is. However, against expectations of Bayelsans, especially the
people of Odi, the president evaded to dwell on issues nearest the hearts of
the people. For the people of Odi, though Obasanjo announced the federal
government’s construction of prefabricated houses for those displaced during
the soldiers’ attack, he however did not see reason to justify the N25
billion compensation the community has requested for.

It would be recalled that many indigenes of Odi community in Bayelsa State
were killed, raped, their houses burnt by soldiers of the Nigerian Army in
November 1999 who were deployed on the orders of President Obasanjo to deal
with some miscreants. The people of Odi have been crying for justice since
the ill and unlawful treatment meted out to them by the federal government.

Really, civil society groups ought to re-awake to the plight of Odi people
and ensure that Obasanjo pays his dues to the community. He cannot just give
comfort in lip service and fail to alleviate the people’s sufferings.

IHRHL CONDEMNS KILLING OF WOMEN RIGHTS ACTIVIST

The Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (IHRHL), Port Harcourt,
Rivers State has condemned the brutal killing of Kuwaiti woman journalist
and women rights activist, Hedayet Sultan Al-Salem. Al-Salem who was shot
while sitting at the back of her car by unidentified gunmen was, until her
sudden death, active in campaigns aimed at securing full political rights
for Kuwaiti women, including the right to vote and to be voted for.

IHRHL is calling on all national and international Non-Governmental
Organisations and other civil rights groups to prevail on the Kuwaiti
government to order a thorough and proper investigation into Al-Salem’s
killing.

RIVERS STATE WORKERS TAKE TO THE STREETS

In continuation of its nation-wide anti-deregulation protest against prices
of petroleum products by the federal government, the Rivers State branch of
the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) today March 22, 2001 took to the streets
in a peaceful demonstration.

The rally started with the convergence of workers at the NLC secretariat, No
24 Benin Street, Port Harcourt where they took off to the Civic Centre.

addressing the workers at the Civic Centre, the state NLC Chairman, Comrade
Sam Jaja charged on the government not to go ahead with the plan on the
deregulation exercise. Jaja said that government’s plan was against the
wishes of the Nigerian workers and the masses, adding that as elected
officers, those who pilot the affairs of government should abide by the
wishes of the electorates.

The workers went round the city of Port Harcourt in a convoy of over 30
buses.

Meanwhile, criticisms have continued to trail the workers’ rally. DISCOVERY
reporter who monitored the rally was told by some workers that by choosing
to go round the city in a convoy of buses, the objective of the rally was
defeated. They argued that that the impact of the rally would have been felt
much if the workers had marched the streets.

Today’s rally was slated to take place in seven states of the federation,
which include Sokoto, Anambra, Osun, Rivers, Benue, Adamawa and Yobe.

DISCOVERY-NETWORK is a daily update on human rights and democratic development of the Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law based in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

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