SERAP wants ban on Aso Rock reporters reversed
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately reverse the “unlawful ban” on 25 journalists and media houses from covering the State House.
The affected reporters include those from the Vanguard; Galaxy TV; Ben TV; MITV; ITV Abuja; PromptNews; ONTV and Liberty.
In a letter dated August 26 and signed by its deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the group said that the decision was at variance with their constitutional duty of holding those in power to account.
SERAP held: “Your administration cannot with one broad stroke ban journalists from covering public functions. Citizens’ access to information and participation would mean little if journalists and media houses are denied access to the seat of government.”
According to the body, media freedom is a cornerstone of the nation’s democracy, and journalists must be able to hold government to account, adding: “This is a matter of public interest. The government cannot cherry-pick journalists to cover its activities.”
SERAP argued that withdrawal of the accreditation tags of the affected reporters “directly violates media freedom and human rights, including access to information and the right to participation.”
The body cited Sections 22 and 14 (2) (c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to drive home its point.
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Nigeria still losing 400,000 barrels of crude oil daily, says Ribadu
National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, at the weekend, said Nigeria is still losing 400,000 barrels of crude oil daily to local and international thieves, despite efforts to end the menace.
Ribadu disclosed this when he led a presidential delegation to inspect oil and gas facilities at Owaza in Abia and Odogwa in Etche local council of Rivers State.
According to him, activities of oil thieves and pipeline vandals had impacted negatively on the nation’s economy and were partly responsible for rising cost of living in the country.
“It is unfortunate that few individuals would steal our common resources, and in the process cause unbelievable loss to the nation, communities and the people,” Ribadu said.
“Nigeria has the capacity to produce two million barrels of crude daily, but we are currently producing less than 1.6 million barrels due to theft and vandalisation of pipelines.’’
“So, we’re talking about 400,000 barrels of crude oil going to waste, with few criminals and economic saboteurs not even getting much out of it,” he added.
Ribadu also said the President Bola Tinubu administration is concerned about the development and is already taking actionable steps to address the matter.
The NSA boss called for a united front to tackle oil theft and end decades of attacks on the nation’s oil and gas infrastructure.
