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Friday, December 18, 2020

"A nation can't just change, it's the people in the nation that need to change."– Sam Adeyemi (Strategic Leadership Consultant)

Dear Active Citizen,

As the year comes to an end and we prepare for the festivities, let us remember to stay safe.

Be conscious of your environment when travelling, mind what you eat, adhere to COVID-19 protocols, avoid staying out very late and remember to put smiles on people's faces this season.  ❤+💡

The kidnapped students of Government Science Secondary School in Kankara, Katsina State have been released after 6 days in captivity.

According to the

Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle,

they were released and handed over to security operatives on

Thursday, December 17th.

The Vice-Principal of the school,

Yahaya Salauwa

also confirmed that all students were returned.

Boko Haram had earlier claimed responsibility for the abduction but Mr Matawalle said it was bandits who masterminded the attack.

We are glad the boys are back!

Our hope for the remaining 112 #ChibokGirls, Leah Sharibu and other kidnapped victims stays alive!

Is being Nigerian now synonymous with suffering? 

On

Wednesday, December 16th,

the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) gave telecommunication companies (TelCos) - MTN, Glo, Airtel, 9Mobile and others - two weeks to block at least 20 million unique subscribers who are not registered with National Identity Numbers (NINs).

Issuing a 2-week ultimatum is very unreasonable especially when there is a second wave of COVID-19.

The ICT sector, one of the few sectors contributing to GDP during a recession, will be badly hit if at least 20 million people get cut off. Let's not forget those that have registered for years and have still not collected their identity cards.

This thing is simple – use the existing biometric registration to assign NINs and notify citizens.

TelCos should also have a process to remotely connect NIN to active numbers.

Please make life easy for us

biko.

Paradigm Initiative & Digital Rights Lawyers Initiative instituted a suit in Lagos on

Thursday, December 17th,

to enforce the fundamental human right to freedom of expression of TelCo customers.

EiE Nigeria

and

Paradigm Initiative (PIN)

partnered to host a

special 4-week #OfficeOfTheCitizen Radio program in 26 states on social media regulation

which comes to an end this week. Guests discussed the risks social media regulation poses to our democracy and recommended alternatives to social media regulation. 

Our exciting program on COVID-19 is still ongoing in 14 northern states.

Watch this space for updates on another radio program on #EndSARS that will kick-off in January 2021!!!

#myLG Town Hall Meeting

#myLG project is aimed at ensuring active citizens' participation in local governance.

A #myLG

town hall meeting to charge citizens to play their part in keeping the government accountable 

held in Zamfara State on

Tuesday, December 15th.

Sole Administrators from Anka, Birnin Magaji, Gummi and Shinkafi LGAs engaged citizens at the town hall meeting. Catch up

here.

Call for Applications | Storytellers

Are you a Freelance Storyteller?Are you conversant with the Nigerian political terrain?Are you interested in taking up a storytelling project?Send a brief including work samples to [email protected]

Have a great weekend!The EiE Nigeria Team