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Tougher enforcement on litter in new trial

The small minority of people who litter will face tougher enforcement action as part of a new trial agreed today.

During a 9-month trial a new team of uniformed officers will patrol the streets handing out fines ranging from £80 to £400 to anyone aged 18 or over who is seen dropping or dumping rubbish or allowing their dogs to foul our streets. The trial is part of our drive to work with the community to make our streets cleaner.

The uniformed enforcement presence will start on 21 November, which will include handing out fines to anyone who drops chewing gum or cigarette butts. The officers will wear body cameras with footage used as evidence if required. People under the age of 18 will have their names and address taken for a letter to be issued to their parents.

Cllr Peray Ahmet, Haringey Council Cabinet Member for Environmentsaid:

“The vast majority of people in Haringey are proud of where they live and do the right thing, yet there are a small minority of people who drop litter or fly-tip. There is no excuse for this behaviour and as a community we should no longer tolerate it. Tougher enforcement is designed to act as a deterrent and make people think again before dropping litter on our streets.”

Haringey is testing increased enforcement in areas with persistent litter problems as part of a balanced approach which also includes more information to residents to raise awareness about the cost of litter on our streets. Haringey recently teamed up with local people in Noel Park to raise awareness of the council’s free bulky waste service. And in October Haringey increased the on-the-spot fines for fly-tipping from £80 to £400, recognising that fly-tipping cost taxpayers £3 million per year.

The uniformed officers will be employed by Kingdom Security.

By Festus Fifen.
As part of the efforts to make sure that the Change campaign goes round the country especially, The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on
Tuesday formally presented the Federal Government’s National
Re-Orientation Campaign, Change Begins With Me, to the top brass of the Nigeria Police Force, which includes Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris, AIGs, DIGs, and CPs.

The Minister who presented a multi-media jingle of the campaign at the Police Headquarters in Abuja, said it was in recognition of the critical role of the police in the success of the campaign, which was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on 8th Sept. 2016

In his words, ”This is very important because the police, by virtue of its duties is a critical stakeholder in this campaign,”
The Minister described the ‘Change Begins With Me’ as a Pan Nigeria Campaign that has no
coloration whatsoever – whether it is political, religious or ethnic.

”It is a campaign for all Nigerians, with the sole objective of
achieving a paradigm shift in the way we do things. The campaign is
based on one principle: Each one of us must be the change we want to see in our society,”

The Minister, who had earlier joined the IGP in decorating some
newly-promoted AIGs, urged the critics of the campaign to endeavor to understand it before casting aspersion on it.

”Contrary to the misconception in certain quarters, this campaign was designed to start from the very top, right from the President, the Vice President, Ministers and other top government officials, and then cascade down to all Nigerians. Therefore, those who have said the campaign is aimed at saddling only the ordinary citizens with any
burden have been unduly hasty.”

He commended the police for their efforts at ensuring the security of lives and property, urging them not to be discouraged by criticism.
Speaking earlier in his brief remarks, the inspector General Of Police IGP Ibrahim Idris enjoined senior police officer to embrace the change begins with me campaign to re-orientate officers and men under their command and control.
The police Boss while commenting on some issues bedeviling the force especially as it has to do with Promotions, welfare, and synergy with other security agencies, the police boss emphasized that this administration and the current management Team of the Nigeria Police Force is committed to equity and fairness noting that in terms of promotions seniority is strictly considered.
The police Boss therefore used the medium to call on all law enforcement agencies to cooperate and synergies for the benefit of the nation Nigeria.

Mission Without Borders (MWB), a UK charity working in the poorest countries in Europe, is to provide more than 30,000 parcels of essential food items, Christmas decorations and festive treats to people living in some of the worst poverty experienced across the continent.

Each year for the past three decades, MWB has distributed thousands of Operation Christmas Love parcels to people living below the breadline in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine. The food staples contained within each Operation Christmas Love parcel are often a lifeline for people living in poverty. In Romania, 70% of people in rural locations live below the national poverty line. The vast majority of employment is seasonal, agricultural work and during winter this type of work is scarce. Increased financial burdens and food insecurity mean families are unable to meet their basic needs and the colder months are blighted by hunger and suffering.

MWB UK’s National Manager, Carly Jones, says:

“The living conditions experienced by families in the communities where we work are shocking and unacceptable. High levels of unemployment and limited investment in infrastructure has caused poverty to become deeply entrenched in many communities.

She continues

Through Operation Christmas Love we aim to provide practical relief to people and families in need of immediate assistance. By participating in our programme in the long term, families and communities also have access to education, training, emotional support and microenterprise opportunities, giving them the means to live independently and hope for a better future.”

MWB has been working in Eastern Europe since the 1960s and its long standing local partnerships mean it is able to reach vulnerable people and communities that other organisations and local authorities may be unable to access, including Eastern Europe’s most remote, rural communities and Roma families living in destitution due to social stigma. In recent years the charity has also responded to Europe’s pressing refugee crisis by extending its Operation to support 2,500 refugees from the Middle East.

The Chief Executive Officer, Dreg Waters Petroleum & Logistics Ltd.,
Damilola Owolabi, will receive the 7th Global Women Petroleum & Energy
Club Award for Africa at the 23rd Africa Oil Week/Upstream Conference
which comes up from October 31-November 4, 2016 in Cape Town, South
Africa.

The award is given in recognition of rising and significant role of women,
in global oil, gas and energy, in key roles. Global Women Petroleum &
Energy Club is part of the suit of clubs and networks of Global Pacific &
Partners, a leading advisory firm in the world upstream industry,
established over three decades ago, with distinctive portfolio.

The Clubs and Networks act to connect corporate and state players, to
facilitate critical industry interests and deal flow in the global
upstream, providing unique global networking forums and allied social
programmes for companies, governments and national oil companies within
the worldwide industry and across the value chain.

As a respected brand with trusted reputation, it is built on a global
track record in global oil, gas and energy. Established in 2001, it
launched two major conferences, one on Women and Energy in Africa, which
held in Johannesburg, and another on Global Women in Oil and Gas, which
held in London.

“In 2002, the Club published the path-breaking report, ‘Women Executives
in Global Oil, Gas and Energy’, and was the pioneer of championing the
interests of women in geoscience, management and at board level within the
worldwide oil, gas and energy.”

Dreg Waters, which is run by Damilola Owolabi, is dedicated to helping
clients secure licenses and permits for oil & gas operations in Nigeria,
clearing of petroleum products into the country, leasing of marine
equipment and supplying of manpower labour to organisations.

Widely known for her undaunted passion to deliver value-adding services
that promote oil and gas businesses in Africa, Damilola takes pride in the
capacity of her company to provide clients with all the necessary
information, documentation, products and manpower labour they need for
successful operation.

The award conferment is coming on the heels of her efforts to make
business swifter for the sector players in Nigeria. She leads a vibrant
team at Dreg Waters that seamlessly ensure that all necessary documents
required by sector players from the appropriate authorities are: correct,
up-to-date and given priority treatment.

Eight police officers and one member of police staff will face misconduct proceedings following an Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigation into the alleged assault and racial abuse of a man arrested at his Birmingham home by West Midlands Police.

Previous referrals in relation to the matter led to the IPCC determining in June 2013 that an independent investigation should take place.

That looked into Donville Lorenzo’s complaints about his treatment during his arrest and detention at Bournville Police Station in November 2007, and his dissatisfaction with the standard of a local investigation carried out by the force’s Professional Standards Department in 2008.

He also alleged that police colluded over witness statements they produced in respect of an alleged assault by him against an officer in custody.

No action was taken against Mr Lorenzo over the incident which led to police attending his home and arresting him, and his conviction for assaulting an officer in custody was later quashed on appeal.

Following the completion of the IPCC investigation nine police officers and staff will now face misconduct proceedings.

Another two former officers were found by West Midlands Police to have cases to answer for gross misconduct and misconduct but as they have retired no action can be taken against them.

There will also be no action taken against a former officer who is now carrying out a civilian role with a different force. The former officer’s new force disagreed that there was a case to answer for misconduct and that was accepted by the IPCC.

The actions of a further eight police officers were investigated and they were found to have no case to answer.

IPCC Commissioner for the West Midlands, Derrick Campbell, said: “This was a complicated case given the length of time since the original incident, the legal background to it and the nature of the allegations.

“We have conducted a very thorough investigation and having discussed our report with the force it was agreed that a total of nine officers and staff should face misconduct proceedings, and that will take place in due course.”

The misconduct proceedings to be held on dates to be fixed are for:
• Four police constables and an inspector who face combined gross misconduct/misconduct hearings
• One police constable who will face a gross misconduct hearing
• A police sergeant and a police constable who will face misconduct meetings.
• A member of police staff who has been referred to the police staff disciplinary procedure.

Maidstone and the Weald MP Helen Grant showed her support for survivors of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) by attending the opening of a unique art exhibition in parliament last week.

“Stories from FGM Survivors” showcased four portraits painted by London artist Emma Scutt of FGM survivors Leyla Hussein, Hibo Wardere, Alimatu Dimonekene and Lucy Njomo.

The exhibition was designed to help raise awareness for those affected by the practice, and to inspire motivation for change by conveying FGM survivors’ strength and hope to new audiences. Attached to each painting was a written description detailing the person in the portrait and their story of FGM survival.

In Britain today there are 66,000 women and girls living with the consequences of FGM, which has been a criminal offence in the UK since 1985. For those found guilty of the offence there is a penalty of up to 14 years in prison.

Helen Grant MP said:

“It was fantastic to be able to give my support for such a worthy campaign. I was moved by the inspirational stories of these incredible women. It is vital that we continue to raise awareness and educate people about this issue, which has affected so many innocent women and girls.

It is also important to remember that these women are survivors, not victims, something that this exhibition has made abundantly clear by showcasing these women’s powerful stories.”

GMD NNPC.
Dr. Maikanti Baru.

By Festus Fifen.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has said about $51 billion investment opportunities exist today in the midstream and downstream gas sector to achieve the growth phase in the Industry in Nigeria.

Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, made this disclosure while delivering a key note address at the Nigerian Gas Association (NGA) 10th International Conference and Exhibition in Abuja.

In a statement by the Group Managing Director Group Public Affairs division, Garba Deen Muhammad, Dr. Baru while delivering paper titled “New Growth Phase for Gas Business in Nigeria,” posited that about $35.4 billion investment will be required in the gas exploration and production activities, power plants projects, fertilizer plants, virtual pipelines and flare gas commercialization initiatives, while Another $16 billion investment will also be needed in the Free Trade Zones (FTZ) infrastructure development and concessioning, port infrastructure, central gas processing facilities, gas transmission, LPG plants, real estate development, pipe milling and local fabrication yards among others.

According to the statement Dr. Baru added that some of the key enablers that will be required for the growth of the gas sector include clear definition of boundaries between upstream, midstream and downstream sectors, appropriate pricing structure and guarantees for payment, host communities engagement and conducive environment for investors.

The statement quoted Dr. Baru as saying “Beyond growing gas for power sector, there has been a strategic positioning of the sector to support massive gas based industrialization. The intent is to position Nigeria as a regional hub for gas based industries such as fertilizer, methanol, petrochemicals, central processing facilities, etc. The first of this effort is the planned 30 square kilometer gas based industrial park in Delta State. This will be Africa’s largest purpose built gas park supporting gas based industries,”

According to him, to bridge the huge gas supply gap, some strategic synergy opportunities for gas development were identified amongst the Joint Ventures (JVs), Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) and independent operators which when pursued and implemented will not only bridge the unforeseen long term shortfall in gas supply but will also enable the nation to meet its gas aspiration.

The NNPC helmsman noted that seven key big bang gas development projects have been identified from the strategic synergy opportunities to deliver about 3.4 billion cubic feet of gas per day to bridge the foreseen medium term supply gap by 2020.

Speaking Earlier, the President of NGA, Mr. Bolaji Osunsanya, expressed the readiness of the association to collaborate with the Federal Government and other key stakeholders to harness the abundant natural gas resources in the country so as to reposition the country to become a regional hub of gas in Africa.

The theme of NGA 2016 conference and exhibition is: “Nigerian Gas Roadmap and Its Potential for Regional and Global Influence: Its Implementation, Challenges, Opportunities and New Way Forward.”