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Economy

Government Tasked To Legislate Whistleblowing Policy To Strengthen Transparency In Delta

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Sheriff Oborevwori

Government Tasked To Legislate Whistleblowing Policy To Strengthen Transparency In Delta

Government tasked to legislate whistleblowing policy to strengthen transparency in Delta. Mr Esike said the whistleblowing law would protect all sectors and ensure punishment for those who provide false information.

The Global Peace Development (GPD), a Civil Society Organisation (CSO), has tasked the Delta government on the need to legislate a whistleblowing policy to preserve and strengthen transparency for the common good of the people.

The GPD executive director, Ebruke Esike, made the call in Asaba on Saturday, at a one-day training for media practitioners and social media influencers on the Whistle-Blower Protection Bill 2024.

The theme was “Citizen Engagement and Capacity Strengthening for Reinforced Governance and Social Accountability,” supported by the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room and the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office of the UK Aid.

Mr Esike said Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration has shown commitment, prudence, and accountability in the management of public funds, particularly by instituting a whistleblowing policy and releasing a phone line for the public.

He said, though, the government’s intention was commendable; the whistleblowing policy should be transmitted to the State House of Assembly for legislation and subsequent passage for the governor’s assent to make it a law.

According to Mr Esike, the state has received an enormous amount from the federal allocation from January 2025 to date.

“These receipts are huge and enough to transform the landscape of the entire state if properly monitored via whistleblowing.

“But the people are afraid to report noticeable flaws because there is no legislation to back them up and protect them from harm,” he said.

He noted that the release of the whistleblowing line to the public was not enough to prompt people to report poorly executed projects and corruption in ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) without threats to their lives.

Mr Esike said the whistleblowing law would protect all sectors and ensure punishment for those who provide false information.

He noted that the need to protect the identity of the whistleblower was sacrosanct and that an adequate reward system be guaranteed to enable them to become effective.

Mr Esike, therefore, urged the traditional media and social media influencers to push the project and ensure the transmission of the whistleblowers bill to the State House of Assembly for legislation.

The GPD executive director stated that, with PFM Law 2022 in place, it was time to implement the law.

“Whistleblower has many implications in terms of development, accountability, and stewardship for the people, and that is why we are calling, and it is not without the support of the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room and the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office of the UK Aid,” Mr Esike stated.

Sheriff Oborevwori

Sheriff Oborevwori

Speaking, Churchill Oyowe, Delta council chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), assured of the media support through media engagement, public sensitisation, articles, and community engagement.

He said the training was expository, adding that legislating the whistleblowing policy was the way to effectively ensure development spread across the state commensurate with the amount of resources accruing to the state.

“We shall explore the social media space through content creation, storytelling, and hashtag campaigns, as well as monitor and counter oppositions of the bill,” Mr Oyowe added.

Economy

Lagos Assembly Strongly Seeks Suspension Of Makoko Demolition

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Lagos Assembly

Lagos Assembly Strongly Seeks Suspension Of Makoko Demolition

Lagos assembly strongly seeks suspension of Makoko demolition. The Lagos state house of assembly has called for the suspension of demolition activities in Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro waterfront communities following protests by displaced residents and growing public concern over the exercise.

The call was announced on Tuesday by Noheem Adams, chairman of an ad hoc committee set up by Mudashiru Obasa, speaker of the house, during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Lateef Jakande auditorium.

Adams called on all state ministries to cease demolition work and promised compensation to the affected residents.
“On behalf of the speaker and all 40 members of the house, we are directing that all demolitions in Makoko, Oko-Agbon, and Shogunro communities should stop from today until further notice,” New Telegraph quoted Adams as saying.

He called for transparency by demanding the full list of taskforce members and the criteria used for engagement, insisting that residents must be actively involved in the process.

“That the taskforce that was constituted, we want to see the list of the taskforce because we want the residents to be duly involved and to be carried along. So we want to have the schedule of those task forces and the criteria for those that we are inviting,” Adams added.

Lagos Assembly

Lagos Assembly

“To the residents of Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro communities, as your representatives, we are giving you all assurances that they will stop demolitions henceforth and there will be compensations for all those whose properties have been demolished.”

Stephen Ogundipe, member of the ad-hoc, said there is need for clear communication, adding that residents targeted for relocation or redevelopment must be informed of the government’s plans in advance.

Babatunde Olajide, special adviser to governor of Lagos on E-GIS and urban renewal, confirmed that $2 million had been earmarked since 2021 to transform Makoko into a modern, internationally compliant water city.

He said enumeration of affected properties is underway and reiterated the administration’s commitment to handling the situation with a human face, prioritizing resident safety and fair compensation.

Yusuf Sagra, baale of Makoko, described the assembly’s decision as a “word of peace,” while Orioye Ogungbure, another leader of the community, praised the “democratic responsiveness” of the government.

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Crime

EFCC Arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for Alleged Naira Mutilation In Viral Video

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EFCC Probes Man

EFCC Arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for Alleged Naira Mutilation In Viral Video

EFCC arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for alleged naira mutilation in viral video. The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,   on Tuesday, February 3, 2026  arrested a Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa over alleged Naira mutilation.

Inuwa was arrested following a viral video circulated on social media platforms where she was seen conspicuously cleaning mucus from her nose using Naira notes.

EFCC Probes Man

EFCC

Following the release of the viral video, the Commission swung into action by tracing and subsequently arrested her to answer questions.
She is currently being held at the Commission’s detention facility while investigation is ongoing.

The suspect will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.

Dele Oyewale
Head,  Media & Publicity
February 3, 2026

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Economy

Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime

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National Bank Of Kenya

Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime

Access Bank gets new board chair Ifeyinwa Osime. Access Bank Plc has appointed Ifeyinwa Osime as chair of the board of directors, following the retirement of Paul Usoro, on January 29.

Access Bank Plc has appointed Ifeyinwa Osime as chair of the board of directors, following the retirement of Paul Usoro, on January 29, according to a statement to the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. on Monday.

Ms Osime, a legal practitioner, joined Access Bank’s board in November 2019 as an independent non-executive director and had chaired its Human Resources and Sustainability Committee and the Governance, Nomination, and Remuneration Committee. This role made her contribute significantly to the bank’s corporate governance, leadership development, and sustainability initiatives.

Additionally, Ms Osime is a director at Ebudo Trust Ltd. and a partner at McPherson Legal Practitioners, where she advises on corporate and commercial matters and contributes to strategic leadership.

She is also a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Women Corporate Directors, Nigeria Chapter, and the Chartered Institute of Directors, Nigeria, where she serves on the Executive Committee of the Women Sectoral Group.

National Bank Of Kenya

Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime

Beyond her professional responsibilities, Ms Osime is committed to mentoring youths and is actively involved in the Autism and Developmental Delays Support Community, reflecting her dedication to inclusion and social impact.
Speaking on her appointment, the group chairman, Aigboje Aig-lmoukhuede, said, “Mrs Osime is a principled and experienced leader with a deep understanding of the Bank’s strategy and values.

“She has demonstrated strong commitment to the bank’s vision and mission, and I am confident that, under her leadership, the bank will continue to advance its strategic objectives of delivering sustainable value to shareholders and other stakeholders in the pursuit of its vision to become the world’s most respected African bank.”

Mr Aig-lmoukhuede also congratulated Mr Usoro on the completion of his tenure and on his exemplary leadership, dedication, and significant contributions to the group, saying he remains a valued member of the Access family.

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