92 percent of Nigerians support anit-gay law

A new weekly poll has revealed that 92 per cent of Nigerians are in support of the proposed Anti Same-Sex Bill. The weekly poll conducted by NOI Polls Limited from June 4 - 6 in Nigeria also revealed that the reason behind their support revolve around morality and religion.

According to results of the poll, most Nigerians are of the opinion that the proposed bill is not an infringement on the human rights of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender (LGBT) community because homosexuality is not in their culture as Nigerians. These are two of the key findings from the recent Fundamental Human Rights Poll.

The House of Representatives had on May 30th 2013, passed the Anti Same Sex Marriage Bill that makes same-sex unions in Nigeria a criminal offence punishable by a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. The bill also criminalises public displays of affection by same-gender partners.

The bill also states that "any person who registers, operates or participates in gay clubs, societies and organisations directly or indirectly, makes a public show of a same-sex amorous relationship commits an offence and shall be liable to a term of 10 years imprisonment."

Under the existing Nigerian Federal Law, sodomy is punishable by jail, but this bill legislates for a much broader crackdown on homosexuals and lesbians, who already live largely in an underground existence.

But according to Rashidi Williams, the Director of Nigeria's Queer Alliance Rights Group, "The Bill takes away the fundamental rights accorded Nigerians under the constitution. This is really, not a pressing national issue."

However, to explore the views of Nigerians regarding homosexuality and level of ratification, NOI Polls conducted its latest poll on Fundamental Human Rights with the expectation that the results from the poll will contribute to the on-going discussion, and particularly highlight the perceptions of Nigerians regarding rights of the LGBT community in Nigeria.

Respondents to the poll were asked five specific questions. First, in order to ascertain the level of awareness of the new proposed law to make same-sex marriage punishable by imprisonment, respondents were asked: "Are you aware of the recent legislative vote by the House of Representative banning same sex marriages in Nigeria? Why do you think it is an infringement/not an infringement on the human rights of LGBT community?

To what extent do you support or oppose the bill recently passed by the House of Representatives?  To what extent do you agree or disagree with the claim that homosexuality is not part of the culture of Nigerians? Overall, 69 percent of the respondents were aware of the legislative vote banning same sex marriage.

The results showed that the North-central, North East and South-South have the highest level of awareness with 75 percent. Ninety- two percent (92%) of the respondents supported the Bill, 5 percent oppose the bill and 3 percent were neutral. Also, 85 percent of the respondents strongly agree that homosexuality was not part of the Nigerian culture.

On if the proposed law was an infringement on the human rights of LGBT community, majority of respondents were of the opinion that the proposed law is not an infringement on their rights. The poll in conclusion, revealed that Nigerians generally support the proposed bill and mostly agree that homosexuality is not a part of the Nigerian culture and majority do not think that the proposed bill is an infringement on the human rights of the people in the LGBT community.

Vanguard

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President Goodluck Jonathan Inaugurates $1 Billion Electricity Manufacturing Facility

President Goodluck Jonathan has inaugurated the General Electric's $1billion service and manufacturing facility in Calabar. The ground breaking ceremony was sequel to the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga; and the Global Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of GE, Mr. Jeff Emmelt, in January.

Represented by the Vice-President, Arch. Namadi Sambo, Jonathan said the groundbreaking ceremony would not only give a fine boost to the administration's Transformation Agenda, it would also strengthen the improved confidence in the Nigerian business environment by both local and foreign investors.

He said it will also confirm the commitment of the Federal Government to revitalising the Nigerian economy within the lifetime of the current administration through policies and projects that would pave the way for increased production activities, job creation and wealth generation.

In his remarks, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment said the GE had, over the past 125 years, evolved to seize new opportunities created by changes in technology and the economy as a frontline multi-business organisation.

In 2009, GE signed a Country-to-Company agreement with the Federal Government of Nigeria, aimed at forging a strategic partnership that would see the two parties working together on high growth opportunities and investment in support of Nigeria's transformation objectives.

Aganga said in a statement that on 31st January, 2013, the nation recorded a milestone in its investment drive as the Federal Government of Nigeria and Messrs GE sealed an investment deal of $I billion (N158 billion) on the establishment of a Best-in-class assembly in Calabar.

Daily Trust

United Nations says $600 Billion Stolen by Nigerian Elite Since Independence

A report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has put the estimated amount of looted funds from the Nigerian treasury at $600 billion between independence and 1999.

Making this known yesterday in Abuja at a two-day international conference on "Emerging Democracies in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities", organised by the Nigerian Institute for Legislative Studies, Professor Festus Iyayi of the University of Benin said findings had shown that the estimated sum of money stolen by the Nigerian elite between 1960 and 1999 from the treasury varied between $400 billion and $600 billion.

He recalled a UNODC report, which showed that as far back as 1999, the total amount stolen by members of the ruling class had been put at $400 billion.

He also cited the Director of Office of UNODC, Mr. Tim Daniel, who had reported that $110 billion was being looted annually from the treasury, while stolen monies stashed in foreign accounts increased from $50 billion in 1999 to $170 billion in 2003.

The professor, who disagreed with the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on unemployment statistics in Nigeria, said research had shown that the current level of unemployment in Nigeria was above 40 per cent and would rise to 50 per cent at the end of this year.

However, Okonjo-Iweala, who spoke on "Youth Unemployment and Violence" at the conference, had put the current unemployment rate in the country at 37 per cent.

While noting that the looted sums would have created millions of jobs, Iyayi quoted UNODC in 1999 as stating: "That is a staggering - almost 'astronomical' amount of money because if you were to put $400 billion bills end-to-end, you could make 75 round trips to the moon!

"Concretely, those $400 billion could have translated into millions of vaccinations for children; thousands of kilometres of roads; hundreds of schools, hospitals and water treatment facilities that never came to be."

In her presentation, Okonjo-Iweala put the present unemployment rate in Africa at 60 per cent, adding that by 2035, Nigeria's workforce would exceed that of any other country, including China.

She, however, observed that to achieve this, the country would need to invest massively in education.

She suggested that entrepreneurial studies should be included in secondary school curriculum with a view to helping the youths create jobs for themselves upon leaving school.

While insisting that the federal government had put several measures in place to address youth unemployment, Okonjo-Iweala said the government had concluded the first phase of youth scheme employment through which she said 1,000 youths shortlisted from 24,000 initially invited for examinations, had obtained between N1 million to N10 million grants to set up various businesses.

According to her, the output has been cheering with 15,000 jobs created so far from the initiative, adding that the second round of the scheme, which was essentially for women, had been launched.

While pledging that the third phase of the scheme would commence soon, Okonjo-Iweala said the employment initiatives were parts of the government's interventions in youth unemployment with the intention of creating jobs and averting violence among the youth.

She also said so far, 3.5 million jobs had been created in the agricultural sector of the society.

However, Iyayi recalled that an independent survey conducted by Rise Network showed that unemployment in the country was growing annually at the rate of 16 per cent, recalling also that a report of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in 2011 had put the unemployment rate in both urban and rural areas at 42.7 per cent, with urban unemployment put at 17.1 per cent while rural unemployment was put at 25.6 per cent.

Iyayi described this high rate of unemployment in Nigeria as a time bomb waiting to explode, as he recalled that it was frustration resulting from unemployment that forced a youth in Tunisia to set himself ablaze leading to the Arab Spring in Northern Africa and beyond.

"The Nigerian youth unemployment rate is about three times the sub-Saharan African unemployment rate of 12.6 per cent. These statistics do not include youth unemployment. When these are added, the youth unemployment problem becomes really potentially explosive.

"This situation is not only alarming: it is a time bomb, especially in the light of the fact that while some 4.5 million of the population enter into the labour market annually (most of whom are job seekers) only 1 per cent can be absorbed. In effect, employment growth seriously lags behind labour market growth," he added.

Iyayi also noted that the situation would only be worse with the recent prediction that Nigeria's population would exceed that of the United States in 2050 and also grow further to 914 million at the end of the century.

He warned: "If the current labour trends continue and the labour market growth continues to consistently outstrip employment growth, the implication is obvious: the bomb will detonate!"

This Day

Gun trafficking charges dropped against Russians arrested in Lagos

The Federal Government on Tuesday dropped the charges against eight out of the 15 Russian sailors charged with unlawful importation of arms into Nigeria.

They are Zhelyazkov Andrey, Savchenko Sergel, Lopatin Alexey, Baranovskly Nikolay, Llia Shubov, Dimitry Bannyrh, Alexander Tsarikov and Kononov Sergel.

The 15 sailors had appeared before a Federal High Court, Lagos, on a four-count charge for allegedly importing firearms to Nigeria, as well as the refusal to disclose contents of the vessel.

However, the prosecution said it would proceed with the trial of the remaining accused, including, Chichkanov Vasily, Varlygin Igor, Komilov Alexander, and Mishin Pavel.

Others are Korotchenko Andrey, Vorobev Mikhail, Stepan Oleksiuk and their vessel, "MV Myre Seadiver".

When the case was mentioned, the prosecutor, Jane Igurnumbe, informed the court that the charges had been amended to drop eight of the accused as they were not arrested on the vessel.

According to her, the remaining sailors will be prosecuted alongside their vessel. The prosecutor also prayed the court to withdraw the name of the vessel 'MV Myre Seadiver' from the charge, and replace it with its owner 'Moral Security Group Limited'.

Counsel to the accused, Chukwuwinke Okafor, however opposed the application, stressing that the prosecution had exhibited lack of diligence in prosecuting the case.

In his ruling, Justice James Tsoho granted the prosecutor's prayer, but ordered the prosecution to serve the accused with proof of evidence on the issue of substitution of vessel.

He adjourned the case to June 21, for mention. When the accused were first arraigned on February 19 before Justice Okechukwu Okeke, they pleaded not guilty.

Mr. Okeke had released the defendants on bail to the Russian Ambassador in Nigeria, while the vessel was admitted to bail in a bond of $500,000.

At their arraignment, the prosecutor, Ernest Ezebilo had told the court that the defendants were arrested with their vessel by naval officers on October 18, 2012, in Lagos State.

He said that the defendants had entered the Nigerian territorial waters with their vessel, without due license and clearance from the Nigerian Customs Service. He added that the accused had also refused to declare the content of the vessel contrary to the provisions of the Customs and Excise Management Act.

He said that when the vessel was arrested and searched by the naval officers, a cache of firearms and ammunition was discovered in it.

He said the alleged offences contravened the provisions of Section 27 of the Firearms Act, Cap F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

The offence attracts a penalty of not less than 10 years imprisonment.

Premium Times

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Video - Nigeria thrash Tahiti 1-6 in Confederation Cup

Tahiti scored a historic goal in their first match at a senior FIFA tournament, but they could not handle Nigeria, who took no mercy in a 6-1 victory.

The Pacific Islanders went behind in unfortunate fashion. Echiejile hit a speculative effort from distance, which first struck Jonathan Tehau before hitting Tahiti captain Nicolas Villar to take the ball past a stranded Xavier Samin.

Nigeria then doubled their lead with a well-taken effort by Nnamdi Oduamad. A slack Tahiti pass was pounced upon and the ball found its way to the forward, who calmly slotted home.

Nigeria extended their lead shortly after. Ahmed Musa broke down the left and his rather tame cross was spilled by Samin, allowing Oduamadi to tap home the rebound.

There were loud cheers as Samin partially made up for his earlier mistake after a brave challenge at the feet of Anthony Ujah, who found himself one-on-one with the Tahiti goalkeeper.

The moment of the game came when Tahiti scored their historic goal. The side's only professional player Marama Vahirua whipped a corner to the back post, where a rising Jonathan Tehau thumped his header past Vincent Enyeama.

The celebrations by the players on the pitch and from coach Eddy Etaeta on the sideline were something to behold, as the Tahitians revelled in the limelight.

They were quickly brought down to earth though, as the goalscorer of that historic effort poked an Oduamadi cross past his own goalkeeper, with Brown Ideye applying pressure.

Oduamadi then wrapped the game up, and claimed the match ball, completing his hat-trick with a simple tap-in, with Echiejile completing the rout with his second.

Nigeria will face a sterner test when they come up against South American champions Uruguay in their next game. Tahiti, meanwhile, face the small matter of a trip to the Maracana to face FIFA World Cup™ holders Spain.

CAF