News
EU Doles Aid Money on Poor Countries to Spy on Citizens – PI
European Union (EU) aid money might be helping non-member states to spy on their citizens, Privacy International (PI) has warned
European Union aid has been used to pay for surveillance equipment and training in countries with inadequate safeguards against excessive state snooping, rights groups said on Wednesday, calling for an end to the “unacceptable” practice.
From training Algerian police on social media monitoring to equipping Niger with phone-tracking tools, the EU has helped numerous nations boost their surveillance capacity in recent years, a report by London-based Privacy International said.
Despite that, the bloc has no effective controls to ensure its aid is not being used to infringe privacy and other rights in recipient countries, a dozen NGOs said in a letter to the European Commission, urging it to address the issue.
“European governments… must ensure they are not providing the tools of repression to governments around the world,” the 12 European and African civil society groups wrote.
Niger was allocated 11.5 million euros ($13 million) in EU funds two years ago to buy surveillance drones, cameras and software to bolster migration controls, said the PI report, which was based on EU documents obtained by the group.
The money also covered the purchase of an IMSI catcher, a tool that allows for covert cellphone tracking, which critics say is overly invasive.
“(Niger) has no laws that regulate the use of this kind of intrusive equipment,” the NGOs wrote, saying there was little to deter authorities from using the equipment for purposes other than border surveillance.
It was not clear whether Niger had already acquired the equipment, which EU documents said aimed to help the country in the fight against human-trafficking and illegal migration.
Niger’s presidential office and the EU Commission did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
‘DAILY THREATS’
PI’s report said EU agencies have also been training authorities across the Balkans, the Middle East and North Africa in “controversial phone and internet surveillance techniques”.
Courses delivered over the past few years included teaching Algerian officers how to use fake accounts to gather information on social media and instructing Moroccan agents on how to use software to extract mobile phone data, the report said.
Other initiatives that caused concern included funding a wiretap system in Bosnia and a biometric identification system in Ivory Coast that would accelerate the repatriation of migrants from Europe, it added.
“Instead of helping people who face daily threats from unaccountable surveillance agencies, including activists, journalists, and people just looking for better lives, this ‘aid’ risks doing the very opposite,” said Edin Omanovic, PI advocacy director.
The 12 NGOs called on the EU to carry out adequate risk assessment and due diligence processes before providing surveillance support, and to set up a fund to promote privacy and data protection rights aboard.
“The EU should be a promoter of rights, not an enabler of governments to undermine them,” read the letter signed, among others by the African Freedom of Expression Exchange, an umbrella group, and Athens-based Human Rights 360.
News
Legit.ng, Shade of Life Foundation Partner to Advance Autism Awareness in Nigeria
Legit.ng recently joined forces with the Shade of Life Foundation to become a voice of autism, and drive advocacy for improved media support during Autism Awareness Month.
Conversations around media support exploration was led by Joseph Omotayo, head of Department for Human Interest Stories at Legit.ng, and Dr. Eziafakaku Nwokolo, founder and CEO of the Shade of Life Foundation,
This partnership is a response to the concerns raised by organizations like the Shade of Life Foundation about the level of support received from the media in discussing autism as a disability.
While other disabilities may receive attention, autism, with its critical developmental implications often lacks adequate representation in mainstream media.
Recognizing the importance of addressing these concerns, Legit.ng took proactive steps by integrating itself into the essence of autism awareness.
It facilitated a one-hour workshop with Dr. Nwokolo, the founder of the foundation, to deepen our understanding of autism, its various spectrums, and the language boundaries associated with it.
Other steps we took in advocating autism awareness in the media, can be seen in our attached press release.
Legit.ng believes that by amplifying the voices of autism and advocating for better media representation, we can contribute to creating a more inclusive and accepting society for all.
News
As Nigeria Struggle, Tanzania Turns off Power Plants Due to Excess Supply
While 85 per cent of Nigeria is in darkness, Tanzania, an African country has shut down five hydroelectric stations in a bid to reduce excess electricity in the national grid.
Kassim Majaliwa, prime minister, Tanzania, has said the main plant, Mwalimu Nyerere Hydroelectric Station, alone generated enough electricity to power major cities, including Dar es Salaam, the country’s commercial hub.
It is the first time Tanzania, which suffers chronic power shortages, has closed hydroelectric stations due to excess production.
“We have turned off all these stations because the demand is low and the electricity production is too much, we have no allocation now,” an official from state-run power company, Tanesco, said.
The 2,115MW Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam is said to be almost filled with water following heavy rains that started early this year.
Meanwhile, while the country has an installed capacity of 1,938MW and the grid installed capacity of 1,899MW, Nigeria which has an installed capacity of 13,000MW is struggling to electrify 85 per cent of its electricity consumers.
News
President Tinubu Appoints Jim Ovia as Student Loan Fund Chairman
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Jim Ovia, renowned banker and businessman, as the Chairman, Board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
Ovia’s appointment is contained in a State House statement titled, ‘President Tinubu appoints Jim Ovia as Chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund,’ and issued on Friday by Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the President, Media & Publicity.
The statement noted that “Ovia is the founder of one of Nigeria’s leading banks and a respected business leader, with a surfeit of efforts and benefaction towards nurturing and empowering young Nigerians.
“He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Louisiana.”
The National Student Loan Programme is a pivotal intervention that seeks to guarantee sustainable higher education and functional skill development for all Nigerian students and youths.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund, the implementing institution of this innovation, demands excellence and Nigerians of the finest professional ilk to guide and manage.
“The President believes Mr. Ovia will bring his immense wealth of experience and professional stature to this role to advance the all-important vision of ensuring that no Nigerian student suffers a capricious end to their pursuit of higher education over a lack of funds,” the statement partly read.
Ovia’s appointment will also ensure “that Nigerian youths, irrespective of who they are, have access to higher education and skills that will make them productive members of society and core contributors to the knowledge-based global economy of this century.”
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